


Untouchable

by Makkuro94



Series: Untouchable [1]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Akashi and Kagami are brothers, Aristocrat!Kagami, Dark Themes later on, M/M, Not! slow burn, Servant!Aomine, Victorian Era themed but takes place in a made up world, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-01-09 12:11:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 129,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12276231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Makkuro94/pseuds/Makkuro94
Summary: He was beautiful, Daiki thought and he could have stared at Taiga all day if it wasn't for the interference of his friend and fellow servant Wakamatsu."Don't.""Hah?""That is the master's younger brother. He's untouchable for you."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HEYY!!! I know, new fic! Bad Makkuro! BUT ! I have a plan! So I've already written a few chapters of this, they just need need some slight editing. So The first few chapters will be updated weekly while I focus on finishing up my fic Rejection. 
> 
> Anyway! This story takes place in a made up Universe but contains heavy victorian England themes. However, I have changed a few things like certain customs, laws and social norms. (Obviously homosexuality is totally ok in this universe :3 ) 
> 
> Title might change!!

       

It was another morning in Rakuzan, capital city of the prosperous country of Teikou. As always the capital was full of life despite the early hour. Shops had already opened, servants were out on their daily errands and people of the middle class were on their way to their offices.

But to a certain boy by the name Daiki Aomine, this wasn't just any day. For today he was leaving his home, the place where he'd spent all his nineteen years together with his family.

He was going to miss it. The house, his parents, his daily life routines, their dogs and even some of the neighbors. He tried not to show it; letting him go had been a difficult decision for his parents and he knew that they'd rather have him stay if they could. So for their sake he kept up a brave face, assuring them that he was fine whenever they asked. And he _was_ fine; he didn't blame them for sending him away because he knew that it was the only way for them to cope. With the losses his father's pawn shop had suffered during the past year they couldn't afford to keep Daiki with them, simple as that. They loved him and that was enough. Besides, he was going to have to leave home eventually. He was already nineteen and wasn’t meant to spend his whole life assisting in that old shop.

His father pulled him into a hug which he returned with all his might. Behind them his mother was crying rivers and he couldn't help but to let out a soft chuckle.

“Don't worry, mom, I'll come and visit as often as I can,” he assured her after pulling away from his father. He walked up to her and wiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. The woman blinked and nodded after a while, a choked sob escaping through her trembling lips. It was rare to see her like this. His mother was usually a cheerful woman who was always capable to keep a calm face even in dire situations...but that did not apply to matters where Daiki was concerned. He was her only child, her baby.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back to meet his father's eyes. They had gotten serious and he could already tell that a lecture was coming up. He resisted the urge to scoff. As if they hadn't been over this a hundred times already.

“Now remember, Daiki, this is a very prestigious family you will be working for. You must treat them with respect and show good manners at all times-”

“I _know_ -”

His father interrupted him by lifting one of his hands.

“Let me finish. If it wasn't for my close ties with Harasawa this job would not be yours so I want you to properly thank him when you meet him. Don't be rude, don't speak to the masters unless necessary...though I doubt you'll see much of them, and please try to get along with the other servants. I keep reminding you about this because I know how you can be sometimes.”

“Dad, I know this. You don't have to worry. And I'm really grateful that you got me this job; I'll make sure to thank Harasawa as soon as I see him.”

For the first time since his parents informed him of the situation, he was impatient to leave. He wasn't sure if he could keep listening to his father telling him how to behave without turning snappy. That wasn't something he wanted; it would be awhile before he could see his parents again and wanted to part with them on the best terms possible.

Thankfully his carriage arrived just then. It was time to leave.

When he hugged his mother again she pulled out a silver locket necklace. Inside was a family picture of them taken about a year back. Daiki smiled at the sight of it and dipped his head to let his mother put it on him. He then bent down to say goodbye to the three dogs that had been whining at his feet the whole time. They all competed for Daiki’s affection, pushing at each other in order to get scratched behind their ears first. It brought out a snigger from their young owner.

Lastly he said goodbye to his father once more before adjusting the bag slung over his shoulder and climbed into the carriage. It wasn't fancy like the ones aristocrats rode but it was definitely better than lifting with a hay cart or, god forbid, _walk_. The place he was going to work at lay about an hour outside the capital, in the countryside. Most noble homes did. Daiki considered it a moment and thought how nice it would be to get away from the constant noise and stink of the city.

He hadn't been that far outside Rakuzan since he was six years old and when the carriage finally rolled out on a country road he was amazed by the many fields and hills stretching out over the horizon. It was so _green_ and _open_. He was suddenly filled with the urge to run over those fields until he couldn't run anymore. It would undoubtedly be a lot different from the cramped alleyways and crowded streets of Rakuzan. Liberating, even.

About an hour later the carriage turned up on a graveled road that lead up to a manor, a large mansion built of red bricks with white windows and edges. As Daiki caught sight of it his eyes widened and for a second he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He knew the family was rich but this was ridiculous. To him it looked more like a castle.

As they passed through the gate he could make out the name it sported, the golden letters engraved into the blackened iron. And on the top of the gate the family crest stood carved out of what once had been a lump of gold. A staggering lion with three tails surrounded by three diamonds on each side.

“ _Akashi Estate_.”

Despite being poor and having helped his father in the pawnshop all his life, Daiki was actually a decent reader. The old lady next door had once worked as a governess* for an aristocratic family and had one day offered to teach him. Of course, there was still room for improvement as he still couldn't read the more difficult texts. But it was enough to handle daily life with few complications.

When the carriage came to a stop in front of the extravagant building, although at the back entrance, Daiki suddenly felt nervous for the first time that day. He looked out through the window and spotted a familiar man with black, curly hair and blue eyes. Knowing it would be rude to make him wait, the blue-haired teen was quick to step out of the vehicle and on slightly shaky legs walked up to the man.

“Hello Daiki, I hope the trip went well,” he said and offered his hand. Daiki took it into his own and shook it.

“Yes it did. Thank you, Harasawa, for this opportunity. I am very grateful.”

A small smile tugged at Harasawa's lips and he let go of Daiki's hand to play with a lock of his own hair. It seemed to be a habit of his, Daiki noted, as he had seen the man do so during his numerous visits to his father's shop.

“Yes, it did take quite some time to convince the master.  He wanted someone with more experience. But when I mentioned that you share his love for dogs and myself bearing witness to that affection he was willing to reconsider. I assured him that you would take good care of them so don't disappoint us.”

Swallowing silently in his throat, the young bluenette nodded.

“Yes sir.”

“Ah but the younger Akashi despises them so make sure to keep them away from him”, Harasawa added in warning.

Again Daiki nodded.

During the next hour Harasawa -who was the head butler- showed him around and went through the daily routine. He'd learned that he wouldn't be spending much time inside the mansion, mostly during meals as the servants ate together in the kitchen. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. He was to attend the oldest Akashi sibling's hunting dogs at the kennel which was located near the stables.

When they reached the kennel there was another man there. He looked slightly older than Harasawa and dressed rather casually compared to him. His short, cropped hair was brown, his eyes a tad lighter and some stubble could be spotted on his chin.

“This is Kagetora Aida. He trains the dogs and is your supervisor and thus your superior. Treat him with respect. Aida-san, this is Daiki Aomine that I told you about.”

Kagetora studied him for a second before a friendly smile stretched on his lips.

“Nice to meet you, Daiki. You will find that I am strict but fair. If you just do as I say there won't be any problems, understand?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good. Now come with me and I will show you the kennel and explain your duties in detail.”

Harasawa left for his own tasks, wishing Daiki good luck.

They entered the kennel and Daiki was given a moment to take everything in. His eyes swept over the interior and found it different from what he had expected. It looked way too clean and homey. The walls were made of light wooden panels and the floor of dark brown tiles. The building itself was rectangular shaped, with long sides that were lined up with large cages. In each cage there were two dogs but could easily be filled with at least four. The dogs each had a big tub filled to the brink with water as well as thick fabrics to sleep on. Kagetora also explained that they were given two meals a day and dried venison meat twice a week.

For hunting dogs, they had it pretty good. When Daiki commented on this Kagetora explained that they were very important to the master who wanted his dogs to be comfortable and respected.

“What you will be doing is feed the dogs, groom them and walk them to keep them active when they are not being used for hunt. You will also make sure that the kennel is decent; that means keeping it clean. The master keeps a pet dog in the mansion as well but I am unsure whether you will attend it as well. I will inform you of this in the near future.” He also explained where to find the cleaning utensils and other similar instructions.

It was a lot to take in but Daiki nodded. If he had any questions he just had to ask, his superior told him.

Next they walked up to the other end of the building where there were three doors. Kagetora motioned towards the one on the right.

“This is your room. Mine is that one on the left,” he pointed at the other door before opening the one leading to Daiki's room.

It was small but enough for one person. Daiki considered himself lucky; he knew that many servants working at large estates had to share rooms. He was getting a place of his own. In the right corner of the room opposite the door stood a single bed and next to it a small table. In the other corner stood a waist-high chest of drawers made of brown wood and on top of it he spotted a porcelain bowl and jug for washing. Above the chest of drawers a small mirror hung.

“If you have any decorations or small pieces of furniture with you then feel free to place them out. I will bring an alarm clock for you before nightfall. You will wake up at six every morning as the servants have breakfast at six thirty. Your shift starts at seven. Also, behind this door between our rooms is a washing room that you and I share. There is a heater, a bathtub and as I showed you before a well just outside the door. I trust you know how to prepare a bath for yourself.”

“Yes sir.”

“Good. Now let's go and get you acquainted with the dogs.”

 

* * *

 

A few days had passed and Daiki was slowly but surely starting to get used to his job at the estate. It wasn't exactly a well-paying job but he was given three meals a day and had a roof over his head so he wouldn’t complain. There were a lot of people who had it worse. And even for such a low salary, the pay was better than what most kennel workers earned. Probably due to the master's care and love for his dogs.

He'd gotten himself some friends as well. Or well, Kosuke Wakamatsu was more like an acquaintance, but it sufficed to say that they got along fairly well. Kosuke was the stable boy and had been so for two years. He was also three years older than Daiki but nothing about his behavior showed it. At least in his opinion. The blonde could be insufferable sometimes with his loud mouth and constant nagging. But still, Daiki found himself comfortable in his company and they spent many of their breaks together. He also got along well with Shinji Koganei who was one of the footmen* and Satsuki Momoi a chambermaid*.   

So far Daiki hadn't seen much of the Akashi family. But then again, the only members that lived at the mansion were the two brothers as both their parents had passed away, the father quite recently on top of that. He'd only seen a glimpse of the oldest brother once on his second day but that was about it.

But one afternoon when Daiki was walking two of the hunting dogs, Wakamatsu accompanying him, his attention was caught by the sound of hooves approaching. When he looked up he saw a fancy carriage enter through the gates and stopped right in front of the main entrance to the mansion. Visitors to the Akashi manor wasn't uncommon so he thought nothing of it. But he came to halt, the dogs doing the same, when he saw the figure standing by said entrance.

It was none other than Seijuuro himself. While it was true that visitors were rather frequent, it was however unusual for the young master to greet them personally before they got inside the house. It had to be a very important guest.

And a few moments later Daiki could see why.

A young man stepped out of the vehicle and hurried up to Seijuuro with a warm smile. And what a smile it was; Daiki found himself unable to do anything else but stare.

The stranger was tall and well-built, similar to Daiki, and donned deep red hair and eyes to match. He was young, probably in his late teens and dressed in a casual white button up with brown riding pants tucked into a pair of black boots that reached up to his knees.

_'He's gorgeous.'_

“Welcome home, Taiga,” he heard Seijuuro say as the two redheads hugged. One of Daiki's eyebrows quirked in curiosity at that. A light shiver shot through his body when the taller of the two spoke up.

“I missed you, Sei.”

That voice. It suited him perfectly and was just as beautiful as the man himself.

“Don't.”

Daiki jumped in surprise when someone suddenly hissed next to him. Turning around with a slight scowl he came face to face with a serious-looking Kosuke.

“Hah?” He growled out as a response, not happy with the interruption.

“That is the master's younger brother. You'd do well to keep your eyes off him. He is untouchable for you.”

“Tsk, I know that! I can still look at him, can't I?” He wasn't even going to bother denying it. What was so wrong about enjoying some eye candy if he worked at the same time? It wasn't like he couldn't multitask.

“No. If the master finds you looking at his brother like that he will have you punished or fired, depending on his mood. He is very protective of Taiga-sama.”

Eyebrows furrowing, Daiki turned to take another look at the red haired duo and snorted. Taiga was both taller and bigger than his older brother and really didn't look like someone who needed to be protected.

“If you absolutely have to fantasize about him then at least be more subtle about it. I'm telling you this for your own good. You're not the first servant who's yearned for Taiga-sama and most of them were caught...”

The only sign Daiki gave that he'd heard him was a slight scoff. He would take the warning into account though; he could really do without any trouble. He needed this job.

It was only when the two nobles had gone inside the house that the bluenette realized he knew the beauty's name.

“Taiga.”

He liked the way it rolled off his tongue and he found himself thinking that the name suited the man.

_He is untouchable for you._

One could always dream, right?

 

* * *

 

Taiga breathed out a sigh of relief as the carriage rolled in through the gates to his home. The journey from Yosen - the northern part of Teikou- had been a long and tiresome one. Not to mention boring. Since he'd gone by himself there really wasn't anything to entertain himself with except the few books he had brought with him. Well, there was Chihiro Mayuzumi but he was not exactly the best person to ask for entertainment. The stoic man was just there because it was his job, ordered by Seijuuro to keep watch over him.

He scoffed at the thought. He had just turned 18, finally entering adulthood and hopefully his brother would stop treating him like a child. But he doubted it. Knowing his brother, he'd probably keep doting on him until he was _at least_ 30\. He loved Seijuuro, don't get him wrong, but sometimes the overprotective attitude was too much for him.

But he had missed his brother and was looking forward to see him again after being away for two whole weeks.

It was Seijuuro who had insisted on him going away for a while after their father's passing three weeks ago. The older Akashi had not taken it as hard as Taiga, always being better at controlling his emotions and remain collected. He had not been as close to the Akashi senior as Taiga had either, preferring the company of their deceased mother.

Being in the state he was, Taiga had agreed without much protest and one week later left to spend some time with his childhood friends in Yosen, Tatsuya and Atsushi. The two of them were engaged from birth and would marry next year. Taiga looked forward to their wedding and his brother had been asked to be Atsushi’s bestman.

After reuniting with his brother, Taiga followed him inside for some tea. It sure was nice to be home again.

“Did you enjoy your time with Atsushi and Tatsuya?” Seijuuro asked as they entered the parlor*. There was already a tray of tea and cake on the table between two plush sofas. The maid who brought it greeted them with a respectful bow. The older Akashi nodded and then dismissed her with a wave of his hand. He wanted some privacy with his beloved little brother.

“Sit with me,” he said as he seated himself and despite the softness in his voice, Taiga could tell it was a command and he rarely disobeyed his brother. He had been told all this life to respect and obey him by his father. The Teikou custom dictated that the oldest brother of a household was in charge should the parents or assigned guardians be absent. Plus, Seijuuro could be quite intimidating when angry.

Seijuuro ran a gentle hand through Taiga's hair as praise before leaning in to plant a soft kiss to his cheek.

“Now tell me about your time in Yosen.”

“You read my letters, did you not?” Taiga questioned with a quirk of his eyebrows, not seeing the point of talking about his time away when his brother already knew everything.

“I did. However, I want you to tell me in more detail. And I want to hear all about your journey home.”

And once again the request was more of a command that Taiga was expected to follow. As he began to talk about what he had been up to during his stay in Yosen, his brother slung one of his arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer. He didn't protest. In fact, he leaned into the touch and enjoyed Seijuuro's warmth. They had always been close, often cuddling and sleeping in the same bed when they were children.

“I've missed you, Taiga,” Seijuuro muttered once the younger was done talking, nuzzling Taiga's hair.

Taiga nodded and replied with a soft “I missed you too.”

“Would you like some tea?”

“Yes.”

They conversed further over some lemon tea and sponge cake for another fifteen minutes before Taiga asked to be excused to which his brother thankfully obliged.

“Of course. You must be tired. Go clean up, get some rest and I will have someone wake you up for dinner. I have ordered for your favorite to be served.”

Replying with a tired but thankful smile the younger left the parlor to have a bath as his brother had suggested. He needed to freshen up.

When he entered his chambers he drew out a sigh of relief. He'd missed his own room and the comforts that came with it. He heard the sound of running water and figured it was one of the chambermaids that prepared his bath. A part of him was amazed at how quick Seijuuro operated, no doubt having ordered it to be done, but at the same time he knew that he shouldn't be surprised anymore.

He began to undress, starting with his shirt and boots. Perhaps it was unwise to take off his pants while the servant was still around. So instead he took a seat in a plush arm chair by one of the windows and studied the forest not far away from the mansion. It was their private forest where Seijuuro hunted with his dogs. Taiga never understood the fun of it; what was so enjoyable about hunting down and kill innocent animals? He remembered when he was a child how devastated he was the first time he saw his father return to the mansion with a dead fox draped over his shoulder. He'd cried the whole day and not even Seijuuro or his mother had been able to comfort him.

“Taiga-sama, your bath is ready,” a young maid with pink hair and eyes informed him and offered a curtsy.

He gave her a friendly smile.

“Thank you, Satsuki.*”

And with that she was dismissed, leaving his room and taking the laundry with her for cleaning.

Now alone, Taiga proceeded to remove his pants and underwear. He lay them down on top of his bed to be taken care of later before entering his washing room. It was of generous size and very extravagant. Spotless white marble floor and walls made up of light blue tiles. To the right a large, floor to ceiling window allowed light to enter. The blue velvet curtains that adorned it were open, allowing a clear view of the small lake farther down the estate grounds. The room was on the second floor and facing the backyard so there was no risk of prying eyes reaching inside. Taiga enjoyed to watch the scenery during his baths.

Steam emitted from the hot water and Taiga embraced the sight. He hadn't taken a bath since last night at the inn he was staying at; the journey from there in the carriage had made him sweaty and his hair dull. So he wasted no time to get into the tub, slowly lowering himself in the water. Some of it spilled over the edges in the process. With a deep sigh he tilted his head back and closed his eyes as the pleasantly hot water soaked his tired body.

When their father passed away he had cried and grieved for days. Now three weeks later it still saddened him a great deal but he had come to accept it.

It all happened so quickly; it had just seemed like a light infection that would pass after a few days. At least that's what the doctor had said. Imagine the shock when said light infection costed the senior Akashi his life.

Now with both their parents gone it was only him and Seijuuro left. While he was glad that he still had his brother, he couldn't help but to feel troubled. This meant that the older was in charge of everything, even Taiga himself, and would be even more keen on keeping him safe...and knowing Seijuuro that wasn't always a good thing.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !! If you want to know what the Akashi Estate looks like in my mind, look up Sandringham Manor on google images. 
> 
> !! Thank you all so much for your comments, kudos and overall support!  <3 I'm really glad you liked the first chapter and hope this one will be just as good. 
> 
> !! The weekly update of this fic will be on Thursdays for now.

 

 

Taiga slept like a log that night. The journey from Yosen had exhausted him and some parts of his body were still sore from the long, bumpy ride in the carriage and a few night stays at several inns. He was a bit picky-and spoiled- when it came to comfort. Harasawa had made several attempts to wake him up but they all resulted in failure. The third time he had thought himself to be successful when the red-haired youth stirred, but alas, after mumbling incoherent nonsense Taiga was fully back to sleep.

In the end Seijuuro hadn’t had any other choice but to do it himself. He gave his little brother a scolding afterwards but it was only half-hearted. He could never stay upset at Taiga for long.

They were to celebrate Taiga’s birthday in the evening. Seijuuro had planned and prepared everything while the younger was still in Yosen. Taiga turned 18 four days ago and was supposed to be home in time for it, but his brother had been busy with work and therefore insisted on him staying bit longer. So they’d decided to celebrate afterwards and Taiga didn’t mind.

After waking up properly he washed his face and dressed himself in a pair of black pants, brown riding boots and a casual white shirt. Similar to what he had worn the day before. To be honest Taiga preferred comfort before style; he knew that as an aristocrat he should dress properly at all times-Seijuuro always kept reminding him of that- but he couldn’t be bothered most of the time. He only wore extravagant clothes during formal occasions or when going out to town.

Due to the nice weather Seijuuro had ordered for breakfast to be served outside in the garden. He’d informed Taiga so and when he entered through the ivy-clad valve he spotted his older brother at a round glass table reading the newspaper. Specifically, the economy pages. Just like he did every morning. Taiga could never understand what was so interesting about it but he figured it was necessary that his brother was invested due to his work.

The Akashi family had been the biggest provider of diamonds and silver in Teikou for three generations. Like so many other noble families, their wealth originated from their predecessors and taxes from the people living on their owned land. Work wasn’t even necessary, but their great grandfather had been of the ambitious sort and begun to invest in the mining industry. The success had boosted their wealth even further, making them the third richest family in the country and now the owner of two diamond mines as well as three silver mines in the neighbouring country Seirin.

The mines were now Seijuuro’s responsibility. Of course, he had advisors and business partners to assist him but he never relied on them too much because he knew the industry well. He was still young and inexperienced to the old eyes and thus easy to be taken advantage of. But Seijuuro was very intelligent and knew a lot about the business he was now in charge of; his father had taught him everything. He wasn’t easily deceived. His second in charge was a man named Eiji Shirogane. He supervised the mines in Seirin and made sure that everything was in order. The older man was reliable and loyal to the family, which were rare traits in the business world these days.

When the older Akashi noticed Taiga he set the paper down on the table and stood up. His brows creased into a slight frown as he took in the other’s appearance. He tutted and once close enough began to smooth out wrinkles on Taiga’s shirt.

“This will not do. You must learn to dress properly.”

Taiga rolled his eyes with a sigh and replied with,“You told me to hurry, so I did.”

Stepping away from the younger, Seijuuro nodded.

“Yes and while I am glad that you did, I want you to understand the importance of your appearance. You are not a commoner, Taiga and I will not have you looking like this tonight when our guests arrive.”

“Of course not. But right now it is only you and me here so-”

“That is enough. I will not discuss this matter further,” Seijuuro cut him off, locking his stern eyes with Taiga’s. But then they softened and he caressed one of the other’s cheeks gently before sitting down. Taiga did the same and they began to eat.

It was only breakfast but the amount of food on the various silver trays was enough to feed a whole family for days. Scones, toast, omelettes, bacon, salads, fresh fruits and berries, cheese, ham, various kinds of biscuits, tea and orange juice. A servant by the name of Kouki Furihata poured them some tea, keeping his eyes downcast the whole time. The oldest Akashi had quite the intimidating effect on him and always had.

“Thank you, Kouki*,” Taiga told him with a smile. As he took a sip of his tea his eyes roamed the abundance of food and he was hit by a thought. “I know, take some biscuits with you and share with the others. “

“N-no it is quite all right, Taiga-sama*.”

“Me and Seijuuro can’t possibly eat all of this by ourselves. Have some. In fact, you can take the whole tray. We can manage by ourselves at the moment. ” To insist further, Taiga lifted one of the cake trays and with a reassuring smile offered it to the stammering servant who hesitantly glanced at Seijuuro. He was ignored completely. But his attention didn’t stay on the master for long as the tray was suddenly shoved into his white-gloved hands.

“I insist. You can save them for later if you want.”

“I-if you say so, Taiga-sama...thank you. Please ring the bell should you need anything.”

Kouki was meek and nervous by nature but in Taiga’s company he tended to relax and be more outgoing. However, whenever said redhead’s brother was present that did not apply. With a bow he hurriedly fled the garden, leaving the two brothers by themselves.

Seijuuro set his cup of tea down with a sigh, obviously displeased about what had just transpired.

“Taiga, you know I don’t like it when you do that. They are servants, not your friends.”

“So? They are still humans. Why are you so against it?” This was a discussion they’d had many times and despite asking, the youngest Akashi knew exactly what the problem was. However, that didn't mean that he understood _why_ it was a problem. His father had been the same; he and Seijuuro used to scold him for playing with the servants and sharing food or treats with them during his time growing up.

“You know why. I have told you many times.”

“But-”

“If you give them too much freedom and treat them like your equals, they will begin to take advantage of you and slack off in their work. Eventually they will stop respecting you and do whatever they please.”

“Well, _I_ _think_ it’s important to have a good relationship with your employees. They are working hard for us and should be appreciated.”

“You will understand when you are older,” Seijuuro simply said and patted Taiga on the head. He wasn’t taking him seriously and the action felt belittling.

“I am not a child.”

“But you _are_ still ignorant and naive. Now let us finish breakfast. I have a meeting in one hour.”

He always did this when they disagreed on something; changing the subject and dismissing Taiga’s opinions as if they didn’t matter at all. It reminded him of their father. Even though Seijuuro denied it, he was a lot like him in many ways.

 

* * *

 

After breakfast Seijuuro went to prepare for his meeting. While he was in charge of the family business, Taiga on the other hand had no obligations other than to represent the family in society and make use of the skills required of him as a noble. These included reading, writing, horse riding, foreign languages and at least one artistic skill. He had chosen drawing for that one and Seijuuro favored the violin.

With so much time on his hands Taiga had explored many hobbies to keep himself occupied. He’d made the discovery that he very much enjoyed reading and horse riding more. Lately he had begun to write his own stories as well. Of course, he spent a lot of time painting as well.

He had decided to go outside for a morning ride. After freshening up he went to the stables where he spotted the familiar platina blond hair of Kosuke as said man was in the process of polishing a saddle.

“Morning, Kosuke*,” he greeted once close enough to be heard. The greeting was returned immediately but unlike Kouki, the blonde was a bit more relaxed and didn’t stand up to bow as per the agreement they made two years ago. Kosuke had been against it at first but eventually gave in.

“I’m taking Shiro out for a ride. I can prepare him myself if you’re too busy.”

“Nah I’ll do it for you,” the blonde stable boy said and just when he stood up another voice suddenly spoke up behind them. A very alluring voice, Taiga caught himself thinking.

“Oi Wakamatsu*, you owe me two-” but the owner of said voice trailed off when he saw the red haired youth standing next to his friend.

_‘He’s even more beautiful up close….’_

Daiki had never thought a pair of eyes could be so _red_. They were absolutely captivating and currently settled on him. When their gazes met he felt something like a spark seep through his whole body and making his blood rush wildly in his veins.

After seeing the young master yesterday his mind had been filled with thoughts of him. And before going to bed that night he hadn’t been able to stop himself from fantasizing about him while touching himself.

“Oh... “ he said dumbly.

Taiga studied the man for a moment. He hadn’t seen him before but Seijuuro had mentioned something about a new caretaker for his hunting dogs. As if those wretched things weren’t spoiled enough with Kagetora looking after them.

The blue haired man was young, handsome and very well-kept for a commoner. He dressed in a grey, loose fitting shirt with a v-neck that showed a generous glimpse of his collar bones. The sight was strangely alluring and Taiga felt heat rising to his cheeks. On his legs he wore black trousers tucked into calf-high boots of brown leather. They looked worn out and the laces were undone.

Why was his heart beating so fast?

“Hello, “ he said with a smile after collecting himself and offered the other his hand, “you must be new here. My name is Taiga Akashi but perhaps you knew that already.”

“Y-yes. Nice to meet you.”

Daiki swallowed silently in his throat as his eyes lowered to the outstretched hand, not having counted on to be able to touch the object of his fantasies for real. At least not so soon. He remembered Kosuke’s words from yesterday and fought back a snort.

_‘Untouchable, my ass.’_

Wasting no further time he eagerly took Taiga’s hand into his own and gave it a firm shake. The skin-to-skin contact caused his heart to skip another beat and unbeknownst to him, the same went for the young master.

“Daiki...Aomine.”

Red and blue stayed locked on each other, hands still joined as neither made an attempt to let go even after the handshake had been done, and it wasn’t until Kosuke spoke up that they broke out of their trance.

“I’ll prepare Shiro for you. Aomine, you can carry those balls of hay inside if you have nothing better to do.”

He had interrupted them on purpose. Whatever was between them had to stop before it went too far. Daki being infatuated with Taiga was one thing; his fantasies should never be able to come true anyway due to his position. But the young master’s obvious interest changed things and it could only end up badly if it escalated. Seijuuro would _not_ be pleased if he found out. The last male servant who had attempted to get close to Taiga had his life ruined; falsely accused of insanity and sent to spend the rest of his life in Kirisaki Daichi Asylum. All on Seijuuro’s orders. The older Akashi had connections everywhere and if that wasn’t enough, then his money usually was. Of course, Taiga did not know about the man’s unfortunate end.

It was as if a spell had been broken. With a firm shake of his head Daiki fulfilled the blonde’s request and after reluctantly letting go of Taiga's hand, began to carry the hay balls into the stable. He wouldn’t be needed at the kennel for another half hour or so since Kagetora was training them at the moment.

Taiga stared after him until he disappeared around the corner of the stable. He looked down at his hand, the tingling sensation still remaining.

“So, he works at the kennel...”

“Yeah. He came here at the start of this week,” Kosuke replied simply as he began to saddle up Taiga’s horse, a beautiful white stallion with a first class pedigree. It had been a birthday present from his father when he turned sixteen. He liked horses, way more than dogs anyway, and had a very strong connection with Shiro. A fond smile worked its way on Taiga’s lips as he gently stroke his horse’s soft muzzle. It nuzzled into his hand with a light neigh, tail flicking.

Daiki saw it when he came back with one of the hayballs. The scene was an innocent one but somehow Daiki couldn’t help but to feel enticed. Taiga was calm and friendly; and his seemingly love for animals only furthered his beauty.

It was then that Daiki was hit by the strong desire to learn more about him. More personal, simple things such as favorite foods or color. After their meeting perhaps it wasn’t impossible. The young master seemed to get along well with the servants, or at least him and Kosuke. Surely it wouldn’t be impossible to spend some time with him.

When Taiga later left the stables on Shiro’s back, the blonde stable boy turned to the other with a disapproving look.

“I know what you’re thinking. Didn’t I tell you yesterday to forget about him?”

How could he _forget_ about someone like Taiga?

“Tch, I work where he lives and will see him around from time to time. There is no way I can just forget about him.”

“You know what I mean.”

Crossing his arms Daiki scoffed.

“It’s not like I plan to marry him or anything. He greeted me first so I had to return the favor.”

“Taiga is friendly with all servants so don’t think you’re special to him. I’m telling you this for your own good.”

Faking a yawn Daiki turned his back to the blonde and began to walk away. It was time to get back to his own duties. Behind him he heard Kosuke yell.

“I’m serious, Daiki! You gotta be careful about this!”

 

* * *

 

After an hour of riding through the fields and woods, Taiga made his way back. Shiro was given to Kosuke for some food and water. He went inside to take a bath before making his way to his brother’s office. When he entered, Seijuuro was just finishing a conversation with a tall man wearing a brown suit. A black leather business case was held in one of his big hands.

He was a bit on the older side and when he made to leave, his grey eyes studied Taiga for a moment. Then when he passed him on his way out he muttered, “a pretty one indeed.”

Taiga stared after him with a puzzled expression before hesitantly taking a seat in front of his brother’s desk.

On the floor next to the desk lay Kuro, Seijuuro’s pet dog. Though Taiga could not imagine why someone would get a big doberman as their pet. It was mean-looking in his opinion, with its short black fur, pointy ears and dark eyes. Seijuuro had made sure he was well trained and would sometimes tell him to keep an eye on Taiga. How it understood that certain command and what kind of training had been done to achieve that was beyond the younger Akashi. Dogs couldn’t possibly be that intelligent. But what he did understand was how much he disliked it. Sometimes Kuro would sleep outside his bedroom door as if guarding him. While it _should_ make him feel safe, it most certainly did not. Taiga hated dogs. Especially big ones. And it certainly didn’t help that Kuro often growled at him. In other words, they didn’t get along well.

“Who was that?” He asked after taking his narrowed eyes off the big, snarling dog.

“No one you need to concern yourself with,” Seijuuro answered while skimming through a document held in his right hand.

“Were you discussing business?”

A very brief look of hesitation crossed the older’s face at the question. One had to have paid close attention to notice, which Taiga had not. It was over as soon as it appeared and without looking up Seijuuro replied “Something of the sort, yes.”

The room fell silent, the only sound to be heard was the ticking of the big grandfather clock standing tall in one of the corners. Taiga knew that his brother was currently too occupied to engage in conversation and breathed out a small sigh. His eyes swept over the room, looking for something to work as a distraction but found none. It was a boring room. And the several stuffed animal heads mounted on the walls didn’t help. He couldn’t understand how Seijuuro could spend so much time in there willingly.

“Did you have a pleasant morning ride?”

“Yes.”

Finally setting the paper down on the desk Seijuuro leaned back in his seat and looked at him.

“Taiga, I don’t want you barging in here when I am in a meeting. Next time I want you to knock and wait for my approval.”

“Sorry. I thought it was over.”

The older’s eyes softened and he smiled reassuringly.

“Just remember it for next time. Oh and make sure you dress up properly for the party. It begins at five and I expect you to be ready until then. I have some more work to attend but I will fetch you in time to greet the guests.”

And once again he was being treated like a child. How many times had it been today? It was really starting to get on his nerves. It had been annoying during the years, but after their father’s death it was getting even worse.

He wanted to argue but decided against it. Honestly he had no energy for it right now. So with an obedient “yes” he stood from his seat and left the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Taiga-sama - Despite the fact that the story takes place in a made up universe/world, the people still use the japanese honorifics. So since Furihata is a servant he is obliged to use Sama when addressing Kagami and Akashi. However, the first and last name order is western. So Taiga Akashi and Daiki Aomine for instance, is how they introduce themselves. 
> 
> *Kouki - Kagami prefers to call people by their first names, at least when he's known them for a while. Since he knows the servants well and like them, he refers to them by their given names. However, he does use the last name when talking or refering to Harasawa and Mayuzumi. 
> 
> *Wakamatsu and Aomine - These two characters call each other by their last names despite their friendship unlike Kagami who, as earlier stated, prefers first names.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3! Thank you all so much for the support. I am happy that you guys like the story so far ^^

 

Taiga had mixed feelings about his birthday celebration. When Seijuuro told him about it he’d been happy because it was a nice gesture and birthday parties usually meant cake -and presents- but at the same time he was a bit put off about the idea. Mainly because Seijuuro tended to overdo things and would undoubtedly invite more people than Taiga was comfortable with. On top of that, a big number of these people were unfamiliar to him.

When the guests arrived Taiga’s suspicions were confirmed. He only recognized about half of the people he and his brother greeted by the entrance. To receive them all with a smile and thank you was quite the chore.

Out of the several people he did know the ones who stood out were as following:

Shintarou Midorima, owner of the best and most successful hospital in all of Teikou. He was a very skilled surgeon himself but due to all the paperwork and meetings that came with his position he rarely had the time to perform said skill. These days he had first class surgeons working under him to do the practical work. With him he had brought his older sister Sayori and his husband Kazunari.

Then there was Shizo Nijimura, a close friend to Seijuuro. The two of them played a lot together as children and later became classmates in school. Taiga had talked to him numerous times due to the man’s many visits to their home. Shizo was a traditional noble and thus did not occupy himself with work, living of his family’s great fortune. However, he was quite passionate about fencing and arranged a great deal of tournaments all over Teikou. He was 21 years old, the same age as Seijuuro, and lived with his family. Once his father passed away, which many expected to happen soon due to the elder man’s poor health, he would inherit the estate and family fortune. He had yet to marry, making him-along with Seijuuro- one of Teikou’s most desired bachelors. Shizo attended the party with his mother. His father was not feeling well, currently bedridden but had sent his regards to the Akashi brothers.

Alexandra Garcia was another familiar-and very appreciated- face that showed up. She had been their mother’s best friend and Taiga’s dancing instructor. With her husband's passing two years ago she was now a widow and had inherited quite a bit of his wealth, living in a two-story apartment in Rakuzan. She was beautiful with long blond hair, green eyes and a body that was a first class example of what every Teikou woman was encouraged to strive for.

She and Taiga were very close; she was like family and reminded him a lot of his mother in terms of personality. She was stunning tonight, wearing a long green and black dress with short off-shoulder sleeves, black gloves that went up to her elbows, a black choker necklace with an emerald pendant and matching emerald earrings. Several heads turned her way wherever she walked.

Taiga was disappointed that Tatsuya and Atsushi didn’t show up. He had expected as much of course; his real birthday, August 2nd, had taken place during his time in Yosen and was celebrated with his childhood friends there. But he would still have enjoyed their company tonight. Or at least Tatsuya’s.

There were a few others that he recognized from previous parties and visits during his childhood but he paid them little mind. Especially the young man that had attempted to flirt with him on a picnic gathering about a month ago. He shuddered at the memory.

After finally welcoming the last guest, they moved on to the ballroom where everyone had begun to mingle. Butlers and maids walked around with trays of champagne and other refreshments. As the birthday boy Taiga was obligated to chat with all of them. He wasn’t an unsocial person by any means but there were so many people in the same room that he didn’t know where to start. And they all asked him the same question; how he felt about finally being an adult which got tiresome very quickly. When he with a smile of fake politeness gave the same answer once again to an old couple that were old friends of the family, he was saved by Alex.

“Taiga!” She called and grabbed his arm, pulling him with her to a corner.

“I’ve been here for almost an hour and you still haven’t talked to me.”

“I greeted you at the entrance, did I not?” he asked with a slight smirk and sniggered at the pout on the woman’s lips.

“That does not count and you know it. Oh you look so handsome!”

“Thank you.”

It was of course Seijuuro who had picked out his clothes for the party as he didn’t trust Taiga to properly dress for the occasion. Just to be safe, his brother had told him. He wore a black suit with a white dress shirt underneath, red waistcoat and matching red cravat*. He did look good, even Taiga himself admitted that, but he just wasn’t too keen on the idea that his own brother felt the need to dress him. There was a reason why he refused to have his own valet*.

Alex turned around for a brief second as a servant passed by with a tray; she grabbed two glasses of champagne and offered one to the birthday boy. She raised her own glass to initiate a toast.

“To turning 18. Happy birthday, sweetie.”

For a while they talked about everything and nothing. Taiga told her about his stay in Yosen and sent her regards from Tatsuya whom also shared a close relationship with her. During their childhood, Tatsuya and Atsushi used to visit the Akashi family for a few weeks every summer. The Murasakibara heir prefered to play with Seijuuro, leaving the younger boys to play with each other. Alex had taken them out for picnics and evening swims as well as teaching them how to dance. Taiga often found himself missing those days.

“So, have you seen anyone interesting? It’s time to start thinking about that now when you’re an adult,” Alex said with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.

Rolling his eyes Taiga opted for another sip of champagne before answering.

“I have only been an _adult_ for a few days. And no, I haven’t met anyone interesting, as you put it.”

_At least not among this crowd._

“That’s because you are not looking. Oh but I happen to know a few men that-”

“I appreciate it, Alex, but I am not ready for that yet.”

“I am not asking you to marry one of them. Just meet and spend some time with them and who knows, eventually you might find yourself feeling something. I really think some love would be good for you after everything that’s happened; it will give you some other things to think about.”

Taiga sighed but gave Alex a smile. He did agree with her, but if he was to pursue a relationship with someone it would be on his own terms and pace. When he told her just that she thankfully gave in but made it known that she was displeased. Though Taiga knew that the main reason that she was upset by him rejecting her offer, was because she wouldn’t be as involved in his love life as much as she would have liked. Nosy woman.   

An hour later it was time for dinner. It was a long and extravagant affair with five courses and a _lot_ of alcoholic drinks. First there was a light salad, followed by oysters with garlic bread, asparagus soup, mashed potatoes and vegetables with venison steak - the meat coming from a big stag that Seijuuro himself had hunted down last week- and an assortment of different kinds of fine wine. For dessert there were lemon tarts, raspberry parfait and of course the classic fruit jellies in all shapes and sizes* . And as if that wasn’t enough, there was a big cake waiting to be eaten after Taiga’s gift-opening. Really, Seijuuro liked to overdo it sometimes.

The food was absolutely delicious, just like always, and Taiga made a mental note to thank the head cook Ryou and his assistants Mitobe and Tsuchida.

Seijuuro was sitting at the head of the table and Taiga next to him on the left side. As the third course was being cleared off the table his older brother stood up.

“I would like to propose a toast to Taiga and his entrance to adulthood. I hope you all will do us the honor to wish him a happy belated birthday.”

Everyone raised their glasses and in sync congratulated him once again.

Although a pleasant evening so far, Taiga was starting to wish for it to end. He was tired and frankly quite fed up with the constant chatter from so many people at the same time. Some were quite drunk at this point and had begun to act a bit on the inappropriate side. And while acting like he didn’t, he _did_ indeed notice the looks of that young man from earlier. Oh how he wished he’d choke on his food. If he approached him sometime during the evening with another one of those lame flirt attempts he would for once welcome Seijuuro’s interference.

During a pause between dinner and the gift opening, Taiga decided to go downstairs to the kitchen where the servants dined. He brought with him some lemon tarts for them to enjoy as well. After all their hard work making the food and serving them they’d earned it.

They always worked hard and Taiga often found himself feeling a tad guilty. He and Seijuuro were only two people yet lived in such a big house, had more food for every meal than common families had in months. Rooms that weren’t even used that often were cleaned on a daily basis. It was tough work, a _lot_ of work and only to please two people. It was such a waste. Especially when he himself hadn’t worked a day in his life. He wanted to do something for them. And he would, whether Seijuuro liked it or not. He just didn’t know what yet.

When he came downstairs and rounded the corner to the kitchen, a few of the workers were playing cards. One of them was the blue haired man he’d met earlier. Daiki.

The sight of him triggered the memory of their long-lasting handshake and the spark he’d felt as they touched. There had definitely been a connection and afterwards as he rode with Shiro on the fields, it had been all he could think about. The party had distracted him for a few hours but now watching Daiki win a game of poker against Koganei, Satsuki and Kouki he was reminded of what he’d felt before.

“Oh, Taiga-sama…” when a maid spoke his name the room fell silent and all eyes turned to him. Despite feeling a bit uncomfortable with the attention he managed a smile and greeted them all.  

“Hello everyone. I hope I’m not disturbing you. Please, do not stop on my account.”

Riko, the daughter of Kagetora and the new housekeeper*, was the first to speak up.

“No not at all. Come join us.” Riko was the most outspoken one of the staff and could even scold the youngest Akashi-although never in a mean way-whenever he did something that she deemed unnecessary. Usually it was about Taiga being too humble or apologizing for any disturbance he might have caused everyone even though he hadn’t.

“I brought some of these,” he said and put down the tray of lemon tarts on the table, “they were delicious. Ah, the dinner too of course. Thank you very much.” While praising the food Taiga had turned to Ryou Sakurai who was the head cook. Unsurprisingly, the brunette blushed and with a low bow stammered out, “T-thank so m-much, Taiga-sama!” His voice cracked at the end. The young master had praised him many times before but it caught him off guard every time.

Daiki watched, intrigued, as the redhead interacted with the others. He didn’t have a lot of experience on the matter yet, but he could guess that this sort of relationship between master and servants was uncommon. He found himself liking it though. He’d heard stories of cruel masters and their effect on the life of their servants and counted himself lucky that he had been put into such a welcoming place.

“Would you like to join us for some poker?” He asked suddenly without thinking, blue eyes locking with red. Such a beautiful color.  

“Daiki! Taiga-sama is celebrating his birthday upstairs, he doesn’t have the time to play _cards_ down here with us.” It was Satsuki who had spoken, appalled by Daiki’s sudden suggestion. The blue haired servant narrowed his eyes at her and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“I wasn’t asking you. I think he can speak for himself.”

A gasp was heard in the background; probably some lower ranked servant who found his reply scandalous.

It was ridiculous, Taiga thought, how the bluenette’s voice could have such an effect on him. It was a miracle that he didn’t blush. With a hesitant look the young noble said, “are you sure? I certainly do not wish to spoil your evening.”

“Not at all!” Koganei piped in cheerfully. Kouki nodded with a soft smile and it was all the confirmation Taiga needed. He took off his suit jacket, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and seated himself opposite to Daiki who gave him five cards. Muttering a thank you he picked them up and thus the game began.

 

* * *

 

If Taiga had the choice, he would have stayed in the kitchen with the staff for the rest of the evening. The atmosphere was so much more relaxing and easy going, not to mention quieter, compared to upstairs with all the guests. The fake politeness, smiles and gossip was something he really could be without. And even though the servants he played cards with worked for him, they didn’t lose to him on purpose because of it. It was nice.  

During the half hour he had played cards, he’d learned a few things about Daiki.

He was nineteen, came from Rakuzan where his parents lived, his father owned a small pawn shop, he loved dogs and... he was a sore loser. Out of the three games of poker they’d played, the bluenette had won two which made him cocky, teasing Taiga and the others while boasting about how he was going to beat them a third time. However, his luck had run out by then. Taiga could be very determined when he wanted to and he’d made it his mission to put an end to Daiki’s winning streak, thus winning the last game. This had resulted in a playful bickering between him and the blue haired boy. The young Akashi had been smiling the whole time despite several attempts at hiding it. When Daiki lost he had immediately accused Taiga of cheating, that he together with the three other servants playing had conspired against him.

Not able to hold back his amusement the redhead had done some teasing of his own, calling the dog caretaker a crybaby, which escalated into a heated but friendly banter. Satsuki, Kouki and Koganei had watched them with much amusement and laughter.

But unfortunately it was brought to an end with Alex coming down the stairs and snatching him. It was time for him to open his gifts. Seijuuro had wondered about his absence and Taiga was relieved that it wasn’t his brother who found him. Alex promised to keep it a secret.

“We’ll tell him you went outside for some much needed air,” she said.

He bid the servants a quick goodbye, eyes staying on Daiki’s for a few seconds longer before reluctantly heading back up to attend his celebration. He tried his best to ignore the stern glance Seijuuro sent his way when he entered the parlor, keeping his gaze forward as he walked up to the massive mountain of presents spread out on a table. Next to it stood the cake, tall and white with decorations of red and gold.

To open all the presents took nearly an hour. Way too long in Taiga’s opinion. He was given things like clothes, jewelry, cologne, pillows, expensive sweets etc. From Alex he got a few books; one horror story collection and one about the adventures of a knight banished from his kingdom. They were newly released so he hadn’t gotten the chance to read them yet, making them a perfect gift for him.

From Kazunari and Shintarou he got some high quality paint for his paintings.

Seijuuro gave him two things. The first was the blueprints of a new painting studio that was to be built for him in the garden. Taiga was ecstatic because the room he currently used was rather bland and uninspiring. The second gift was an expensive painting made by one of Taiga’s favorite artists. It showed a tiger-his favorite animal- lying on a smooth slab of rock by a lake. In the background there were green, yellow and red that made up the surrounding jungle. It was beautiful.

The guests all received a thank you, Seijuuro and Alex a hug, and then it was time for cake. As expected of Ryou and Mitobe it was delicious. If the greedy guests didn’t finish it all he’d make sure to give the rest to the staff.

“Taiga,” Seijuuro said as he came to stand by his side, “Shintaro and his company will be staying the night. The two of us are going hunting tomorrow after breakfast, would you like to join us?” 

The younger made a disgusted face.

“No.”

His brother knew how much he hated hunting so why even bother asking?

“Very well. I hope you are enjoying yourself.”

“I am. Thank you for everything, Sei. I very much appreciate it.”

“Of course. I only want the best for you.”

The rest of the evening he spent chatting with Alex and Kazunari before excusing himself. He was tired and needed to lie down. As he walked up the stairs to his room on the second floor he heard the padding sound of paws behind him. Glancing over his shoulder he glared at Kuro who stopped mid step and tilted his head.

“Don’t follow me.”

He received a growl and flash of sharp teeth in return.

When he turned back to continue up the stairs he wasn’t surprised that the dog followed. It wasn’t until he entered his room and slammed the door shut behind him that he was finally free from the beast.

Quickly he undressed, put on a nightshirt and climbed up on his bed. As he closed his eyes,  trying to fall asleep, his mind wandered to a certain bluenette and he couldn’t stop the smile it brought to his lips.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Cravat - A thinner version of a scarf that is usually tucked into open-necked shirts or vests/waistcoats. Can be used instead of a tie or bow tie. It wasn't uncommon during this time to decorate it with a fancy pin. 
> 
> * Valet - A personal male servant who helps his master with his appearance. Dresses him etc. An attendant, you could say. 
> 
> *Housekeeper- The highest ranked female servant in a household during this time. She was the boss of the maids and all other female servants and was in charge of recruit them. Harasawa is the butler which is kind of the male version of housekeeper but is of even higher rank. 
> 
> *Fruit jelly - Look up images of this, it's so fun to look at. In the 1800's it was common to form/shape jelly of all different colors and have it for dessert. The bigger and taller, the better.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, Aomine and Kagami are going to fall in love pretty quickly in this fic. It will start to pick up in the next chapter.

 

Taiga spent the next morning with Kazunari in the garden. It was another beautiful day with a clear blue sky and pleasant warmth radiating from the sun’s rays. The two youngsters conversed over some tea and biscuits while Seijuuro and Shintaro prepared themselves for their hunt. The younger Akashi secretly hoped that they wouldn’t catch anything. He could do without seeing another carcass, thank you very much. 

“So, Taiga, got any plans to marry now when you’re all grown up?”

The redhead sighed and shook his head.

“No, I’m nowhere ready for that. There is no rush, I mean, Sei is 21 and still unmarried.”

“That’s true. Well, I guess he’s too busy for that right now. What does he think about you marrying?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t discussed it. But...seeing how protective he is it will be difficult to get his approval I suppose.”

Kazunari chuckled. 

“Absolutely.”

He took a sip of his tea and after a moment of silence he said with a fond smile, “I didn’t think marrying would be anything special. I mean, it was an arranged marriage after all and I always doubted that I would actually come to love Shintaro...and the other way around. But you know, I’m really happy now. I love him very much and while he doesn’t openly say it often, I know he feels the same. I get along well with his sister and family and if he’s too busy I can visit them whenever I want for company.”

While he listened, Taiga couldn’t help but to envy his friend. Kazunari was one year older than him and had been married to Shintaro for a year. He had already found his place in the world and knew exactly what he wanted. And while Taiga was fairly happy with his life and current situation, he felt that something was missing. True he wasn’t in a hurry to get married but it would be nice to have someone to harbor such strong feelings for. He’d realized that he was...lonely, and Seijuuro wasn’t enough to fix that. His brother was always busy and while caring, still treated him like a child and Taiga was getting tired of it. He wanted to talk to someone who saw him as their equal, someone he could even fall in love with. He wanted change and something more exciting.

“I’m really happy for you,” he replied once Kazunari was done speaking. Then with a slight smirk added, “I gotta say though, I also had my doubts about Shintaro. I never thought he was capable of loving at all… with that constant stick up his behind.”

Recognizing it as a joke, the black haired youth gave him a playful shove.

“Hey, that’s my husband you’re talking about.”

 

* * *

 

 

The seriousness of Kosuke’s warning downed on him that morning when Seijuuro and his green haired guest visited the kennel. It was Daiki’s first time meeting the master of the estate and as soon as his eyes met those dual-colored ones he’d felt himself shiver. And not in a pleasant way. He remembered how amused he’d been at the thought of this man protecting Taiga despite the size difference between them...but seeing the older brother in person completely eradicated said amusement. This man was no joke.

“Good morning. You must be Aomine,” Seijuuro greeted but didn’t bother to offer his hand.

“Y-yes,” the bluenette stuttered out and bowed. When he straightened he quickly added, “it is a pleasure to meet you, sir. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”

“Yes. Kagetora has told me of your performance so far and I am relieved to hear that my dogs are well taken care of. I trust you to keep up the good work.”

Flattered and honestly surprised about the praise, Daiki bowed once again.

“Thank you. I will.”

Seijuuro offered a small smile and with a nod passed the bluenette to see his dogs.

Kagetora had already begun to prepare as he’d been informed of the hunt the evening prior. All ten dogs were to be taken out. Daiki assisted his superior and about fifteen minutes later everything was in order.

During hunts, Kagetora and the gamekeeper* Ekichi Nebuya always accompanied the master and his party. This left Daiki to take care of the kennel. He replaced the water in all cages and scrubbed the floor. On the way out, Seijuuro had asked-ordered- him to take Kuro out for a walk around the estate. The dog had been commanded to wait outside and wait until the bluenette was finished with his work.

When Kuro saw him he hesitantly took a few step forward and began to sniff him.

“Hey there, boy. Wow you’re a good-looking one, aren’t you. I bet the ladies go crazy whenever they see you,” Daiki said softly and chuckled when the dog’s tail began to wag happily. He had been informed that Kuro did not need a leash as he was very obedient. So after patting him on the head and giving him a small treat to win the dog’s affection, Daiki simply snapped his fingers and pointed at the ground by his side. Kuro understood immediately and trotted merrily next to the caretaker as they went.

A moment later he found a small stick and decided to play some fetch. As soon as Kuro caught sight of it he sat down and eagerly waited for it to be thrown. His brown eyes were transfixed on the object as Daiki slowly raised his arm; he looked at Kuro for a few seconds, a smile tugging at his lips, before throwing it with all his might.

Like a bullet Kuro took off after it. His paws were heavy as they made contact with the grass in his sprint. With an excited bark he bent down and picked the stick up before running back to Daiki for another round.

“Last one, all right?” The bluenette said after numerous throws and just when he let go of the stick he caught sight of Taiga farther up ahead. He remembered being told that the redhead disliked dogs but it was too late to stop now. The stick had been thrown and Kuro was running at full speed in Taiga’s direction.

“Shit!”

Daiki took after the black dog and shouted at him to come back. His dread increased further when Kuro ran past the stick, his attention now fully directed at his master’s brother. The dog had been taught to guard Taiga and seeing him walk around outside by himself was something he had not yet learned to accept.

“No, stay away!” Taiga cried out in panic when he saw the beast coming his way at full speed. There was nowhere to run so he cowered back to brace himself. But Kuro would never harm him; the dog knew that it wasn’t allowed to. So it came to a halt in front of the redhead and began to bark as if scolding him for being outside unsupervised.

“Go away! Shoo!”

Kuro kept barking. It wasn’t until Daiki caught up and shoved at him that he stopped.

“Quiet.” He commanded and with a low whine the dog sat down at his side.

Moving his glare from the black beast, Taiga looked at Daiki. He was not happy. Swallowing silently in his throat the bluenette was about to explain but the young master beat him to it.

“Why is he running around freely like this?” Still shaken, the redhead wasn’t able to keep his emotions at bay and his words came out in an accusatory tone.

“I’m sorry but I was told that he doesn’t need a leash. I was not counting on meeting you out here.”

“Well I live here so I can go wherever I want.”

“Again, I’m sorry.”

Shit. He hoped that Seijuuro wouldn’t be informed about this.

Taiga studied him for a moment before releasing a sigh. When he spoke next Daiki relaxed.

“Just make sure it doesn’t happen again. I can’t stand dogs...which you can probably tell.”

“Yeah I was told.”

Daiki sat down on his hunches and began to scratch Kuro behind the ears. The dog tilted its head for more, its tongue lolling out of its mouth as it panted from all the exercise.

“You can’t just run up to people like that,” he scolded softly.

Taiga watched the scene, debating whether he should continue walking or stay to converse with the other. It was a good opportunity to get to know the bluenette.

“How do you do that?” He asked after a while. He sat down in the grass, although making sure to keep a good distance away from Seijuuro’s pet.

A smile cracked out on Daiki’s lips.

“It’s all about respect. If you treat them kindly, they’ll be kind to you. Most of the time.”

“Hmph. I haven’t treated him unkindly and yet he growls at me all the time.”

Moving his hand upwards, Daiki patted the dog on the head.

“Well yeah, that’s because he senses your fear and dislike for him. Would you be nice to someone if you knew they hated you?”

“They’re animals. There is no way they can sense things like that.”

“They’re more intelligent than you think. You like horses, don’t you? They’re pretty intelligent too, don’t you agree?”

Taiga crossed his arms.

“That’s different. My Shiro is-”

“An animal.”

The redhead wanted to protest. He opened his mouth but couldn’t find any words that would support his argument. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that the other boy was right. But he wouldn’t admit that. So he kept quiet and watched Daiki interact with Kuro. Had it been any other animal, the sight would have been nice to look at.

They sat there in silence for a while but it wasn’t awkward. Taiga was lazily looking at the clouds while Daiki had proceeded to scratch the dog’s belly. It writhed in the grass, enjoying the attention and barked playfully. The sudden noise startled the redhead who instinctively reeled back.

“Here, pet him.”

Looking at the other as if he belonged in one of the infamous asylums in Rakuzan, the young master shook his head.

“No way.”

“Come on,” Daiki pressed, “He’s not that bad.”

“I doubt it.”

“I won’t let him hurt you.”

The softness in the other’s voice made him falter for a moment. When he glanced at Daiki and saw the genuine expression he felt himself nodding. For some reason he felt like he could trust him. But he wasn’t too thrilled about it. Slowly he lowered his eyes to Kuro who was once again sitting up.

When Taiga reached out his hand, Kuro growled which elicited a frightened squeak out of him. Embarrassed by the sound, the redhead blushed and looked away with a scowl.

“See? There is no point.”

With a sigh, although not without an amused smirk, Daiki scooted over and grabbed his hand. Again the two of them felt a spark at the contact, heartbeat rising. But the bluenette willed it away as he had a mission at the moment. Such feelings could be saved for later.

“It’s about respect, remember? Make sure to keep your hand low because dogs can feel threatened when people they don’t trust raise their hand too high. Keep it low and wait for him to sniff it first. It’s like a greeting.”

Taiga did as told and slowly reached out his hand while making sure to keep it lowered.  Kuro stared at it for a moment, not moving, before slowly sticking out his snout and took a whiff of him.

“It can help if you talk to him.”

Talk to him…

What do you say to a dog anyway?

“Uhm...hello?”

“Call him by his name. And they pick up on different tones; a higher pitch is usually associated with happiness.”

“Hi Kuro,” he said with a higher tone than usual and immediately felt stupid. And with Daiki watching it only made things worse. Stifling a laugh, not wanting to make the redhead feel bad, he encouraged him further.

“Good. One more time and make sure to look him in the eyes.”

“Hey boy!” He finally managed. It sounded surprisingly genuine even to himself. He wanted to show Daiki that he could do it, to impress him and prove that he wasn’t just some spoiled rich-boy who couldn’t do anything by himself.

Kuro tilted his head as he looked at him, ears perked. No doubt unused to him using a friendly tone.

“Hey...good boy.”

He slowly approached with his hand, stopping every now and then to wait for a reaction, until he reached the animal’s chest. He wasn’t ready to go anywhere near its mouth yet. Carefully he stroked the fur and was relieved that Kuro let him.

“Good job,” Daiki said and when he glanced at Taiga he felt his eyes widen at the big smile on the other’s face. Taiga was practically beaming and it did dangerous things to his heart.

“I’m actually doing it…”  he muttered in astonishment. He hadn’t petted a dog for 10 years. The last time it had resulted in him getting bitten, hence his fear for the canine species.

To think that he could actually get along with Kuro like this. And how easy it was. At least with Daiki’s help. Speaking of which…

“Thank you.”

When he turned to the dog caretaker his smile dropped and he felt himself suddenly at a loss when he noticed the close proximity of their faces. Daiki was so close that he could feel the puffs of breath that came out between his half-parted lips. He couldn’t stop his eyes from lowering to said lips; observing them with much intensity. He found himself wondering how they would feel against his and how badly he wanted to find out. It was strange how he could feel so attached to someone he’d only known for barely two days. And it wasn’t like they’d spent much time together during said two days.

Daiki caught the action and was thinking similar thoughts, his mind chaotic as it couldn’t decide whether he should pull away before something happened, or to swoop down and kiss the redhead. It didn’t seem like Taiga would mind since he hadn’t distanced himself yet…

But there was something in the back of his mind that was nagging at him. Something important.

What was-

_ Seijuuro _

At the memory of what he’d felt that morning when meeting the Akashi head he flinched away from Taiga as if he’d been burnt. Desperately he tried to fill the awkward silence.

“Y-you did good. Wasn’t so bad, right?”

“No…it wasn’t.”

Why did he sound so disappointed?

Taiga stood up and with a strained smile added, “I should go. See you later.” And with that he began to make his way back to the mansion.

With longing eyes the bluenette watched him leave. It wasn’t until Kuro whined that he snapped out of it. Lowering his gaze he was met by a panting Kuro, tongue still hanging out of his muzzle. He smiled fondly and reached down to pat at his head.

“Sorry. You did good too. Now let’s get you some water.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Gamekeeper - The servant responsible for the family's hunting grounds and made sure there was enough wildlife for hunting, fish in the lake for fishing etc. Basically made sure there were animals (fish, birds, different mammals) for the family members to hunt.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter! Things are gonna kick off from here on. And as always, thank you all for the support! It means so much to me <3 
> 
> Fun fact: There are people who don't like the terms redhead or bluenette but I'm using them anyway >: D

 

It was on Monday morning the following week that Seijuuro left for Seirin. It was the first of many business trips to come during his time as the new head of Akashi Mining Company. He would be gone for two weeks and when Taiga was informed, he felt oddly good about it. He’d only been back for a week and already felt himself needing a break from Seijuuro’s doting. Was it bad of him to think that way? He knew he should be happy to spend as much time as possible with his brother now when they were the only ones left of the family. But Seijuuro was near  _ suffocating _ and it was only getting worse. 

With his brother gone perhaps he could spend some time with the servants without having to worry. And by servants he most of all meant Daiki. 

It was still strange that he found himself so drawn towards him but he’d decided not to care about that. He wanted to get to know him, to perhaps even become friends with him.

_ Is that really all you want though? _

Well… he was attracted to Daiki and there was certainly something between them, a chemistry if you will. But they barely knew each other so it was too early to think such thoughts...wasn’t it? 

Seijuuro, who was ready to enter the carriage, brought him out of his thoughts when he spoke up. 

“Taiga, now remember to behave yourself while I am gone. Do not cause any trouble and I would prefer it if you don’t leave the grounds by yourself. Perhaps you could invite Kazunari or Alexandra over to stay for a few nights.”

_ “Not this again’.  _ Taiga thought to himself and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. 

“I understand,” he replied with a nod and returned the embrace his brother pulled him into. 

“Good. Is there anything you would like me to get you from Seirin?”

“Books.”

“Very well. Expect a letter from me in a few days.”

With a kiss to Taiga’s cheek, the older Akashi bid a final goodbye and stepped into his carriage. Taiga waved after the vehicle as it left the grounds. 

Harasawa who stood next to him then spoke up. 

“Would you like some tea, Taiga-sama?”

“No thank you. I think I will take a walk in the garden and perhaps do some reading.” 

“Very well,” the butler replied and with a bow went back inside the house. 

Casting one last look at the disappearing carriage Taiga released a sigh and with book in hand made his way to the garden on the backside. It was a bit cloudy today and there were slightly chilly winds breezing every now and then so he decided to read in the gazebo. 

On his way there he stopped and conversed with Mibuchi, the gardener, for a bit. The man was tall and had shoulder length black hair and long eyelashes. He was very passionate about his job and the one responsible for the first class crops that were eaten by the Akashi family and servants alike. When Taiga praised him Mibuchi laughed and humbly said that he wasn’t worthy of such kind words. 

“How long have you been working today?”

“Since seven.”

The time was now ten thirty.

“Feel free to take a break whenever you want. There are lemon tarts left from the party for everyone but they might not last long with Kosuke around.”

Mibuchi smiled. 

“Thank you, Taiga-sama. I am quite alright at the moment but I will keep that in mind.”

Returning the smile Taiga said goodbye and resumed his walk to the gazebo. It was made of wooden walls painted white and a roof of black tiles. All walls consisted of stained glass going from floor to roof. It was his favorite place to go to whenever he needed some peace and quiet. Except his own room of course.

He sat down in one of the plush chairs and opened his book to start reading. It was one of the books he’d been given as a present from Alex, the one about a knight. It proved to be a very interesting read as he found himself completely immersed in the story just a few minutes later. He wouldn’t be able to put it away for some time if he knew himself right.

But not long after the thought crossed him he did just that. When he heard the sound of a bark followed by familiar laughter he immediately looked up and out through the door that had the only glass that was see-through. His eyes spotted Daiki playing with Kuro not far away. The blue haired servant didn’t seem aware of his location so Taiga took the opportunity to look at him.

He wore the same clothes Taiga had seen him in so far and even though they were cheap and a bit ragged, it somehow suited him. And Taiga had come to the realization that he very much enjoyed the sight of the other’s exposed collarbones even more than prior.

But the best part of the whole scene playing out in front of him was the big, teeth revealing smile that parted Daiki’s lips as he was playing tug of war with Kuro.

Feeling an urge to talk to the other boy Taiga placed his bookmark on the page he was on before closing the book and walking out of the gazebo.

Daiki noticed him as he approached and his smile fell due to surprise. He let go of the short rope that was the unfortunate object of the tugging game. Kuro also let go upon the redhead’s arrival and with a playful bark trotted up to him. Taiga flinched back with a gasp; even if he’d petted the dog a few days ago that still didn’t mean he was over his fear.

Before Kuro could reach him completely Daiki gave out a simple command of “Sit” which he instantly obeyed. He sat down and wagged his tail, brown eyes looking up at Taiga expectantly. Staring down at him for a moment, the red haired teen sighed.

“Fine,” he said and hesitantly reached down to pet him on the head. He looked up when he heard a chuckle, meeting Daiki’s eyes and playful smirk.

“What?”

“Oh nothing. Didn’t expect you to pet him.”

“Well, I think I should get over my fear as soon as possible. I have to start somewhere.”

“And where does this fear come from?” Daiki inquired as he came to a stop next to Kuro and bent down to scratch him behind one ear.

Taiga looked away in slight embarrassment. Going against the side of him that told him not to answer the question, he muttered “I was bitten when I was a child.”

Thankfully Daiki didn’t make fun of him. He hummed in understanding and righted himself.

“I see. Well, can’t blame you for being afraid then.”

The red haired noble nodded and for a moment they were silent. But then he spoke up as he once again directed his gaze to the dog.

“So you’re taking care of him now.”

“Yes. Kagetora-san told me to do it until your brother comes back.”

“Kuro sleeps in the mansion. Does that mean you will be there as well?”

“A little. Just for feeding and bathing him.”

For some reason Taiga felt a little disappointed. He wouldn’t mind seeing Daiki around in the mansion at all.

A thought hit him then and with a smile he spoke up.

“Would you like me to give you a tour? You’ve been here for a week, haven’t you? I think it’s time you get to actually see the place you work at.”

“I work at the kennel though…and I’ve seen the kitchen.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Your brother wouldn’t approve-”

“Seijuuro isn’t here. While he is gone I am in charge so what I say goes. Don’t worry, I will take full responsibility.”

 

* * *

The Akashi manor was an impressive sight on the outside, but the inside was something else entirely. The hall itself was twice the size of Daiki’s old house in Rakuzan and the white marble tiles alone probably cost more than what his father earned in a year.

He’d agreed to let Taiga show him around the mansion but he couldn’t help but feel a bit unsettled. He worked at the kennel and the only times he entered the mansion itself was during meals and even then it was only in the kitchen where the servants dined. On top of that, he was still on duty and a tour of a place such as this would take time; time that he should spend working. Kagetora would not be happy with him if he found out. When he’d said this before Taiga had assured him that he would not get into any trouble.

“Here is the parlor. After dinner, this and the ballroom are where parties are being held. It depends on what kind of party it is; if it’s a dancing party it will mostly take place in the ballroom. I’ll show you that and the dining hall later.”

The room was huge - not that Daiki had expected anything else- with wooden panels and floor to ceiling windows. In them hung long velvet drapes in red but had been parted to let the light of day inside.

Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, made of gold and crystal. All of them had eight arms that held a white candle each.

There were several couches and armchairs scattered around the room and all were very comfortable looking with their plush cushioning made of velvet and silk. Decorations, lamps, carpets, tables; all of these things were very extravagant. There was also a grand piano at the far end of the room by a window.

Taiga saw him looking at it and said “the piano is very popular. I don’t play myself, but a lot of guests want to show off their skills. Especially the ladies. Alex, my dancing tutor plays. She’s really good.”

Daiki hummed. He’d never been good at instruments, not that he’d been given many opportunities to play them to begin with. The neighbor lady who taught him how to read owned a piano but it was a lot smaller and undoubtedly cheaper than the one standing in this parlor. Daiki had played it a few times but he was terrible at it even with the lady’s guidance.

Taiga then showed him the dining hall. Daiki had told himself that he shouldn’t be surprised anymore after what he’d seen so far but when he and his master stepped into the big room he couldn’t help but stare in awe at the long dining table of dark, carved wood that according to Taiga could seat over 20 guests. Should the number of guests exceed that there were extra tables and chairs to be added.

Several bathrooms, the study room, guests rooms, another parlor of a smaller size, the ballroom, billiard room and the smoking room. It took about an hour for Taiga to show him all of it. What he hadn’t shown was Seijuuro’s office and bedroom as well as Taiga’s own bedroom. The latter was a sight Daiki secretly wanted to see.

“Okay, last room I’m going to show you,” the redhead said as he opened up the double doors. As they folded out, a room filled with paintings-some finished and some not- was revealed. A few of the painting hung on the walls, others were stacked on tables and some were still standing on easels*. The latter ones were covered by white pieces of fabric.

“This is my art gallery. I’m the only one who uses it because Sei doesn’t paint or draw. I spend quite a lot of time in here. Although my brother is having a new gallery built for me in the garden as a birthday present.”

“I see. Aren’t you happy with this one?” Daiki asked with a curious tilt of his head. He didn’t see anything wrong with the room. The view was great too.

Taiga offered a small smile and shook his head.

“It’s not very inspiring. Sometimes I go outside to paint but the weather doesn’t always allow it. This room is a bit stuffy and there isn’t much to look at.” He gestured at the room as he explained this and after seeing the dark walls and wooden floor Daiki could understand what he meant. It was rather empty and old-looking. While the whole house itself was impressive and beautiful, it was dark and somehow had a lonely air about it and Daiki couldn't help but to feel sorry for Taiga. To be alone in it all day long wasn't something he'd want for himself.  

“I can see that, yeah. I’m sure the new one will be a lot better.”

Taiga nodded.

“Yes. I’ve seen the blueprints and it looks great.”

During the whole tour Kuro had followed them. He was currently lying down on the floor while the two young men talked but suddenly raised his head, ears perked, as he heard someone approach. It didn’t take long before someone entered the room and when he saw who it was he lowered his head again.

“Taiga-sama.”

It was Chihiro Mayuzumi, Seijuuro’s personal valet. When his grey eyes fell on Daiki his face took on a disapproving look.

“Lunch has been prepared.”

“Oh, thank you. I will be there shortly.”

The servant bowed and when he straightened himself up again he couldn’t help but speak his mind.

“Forgive me, sir, but I believe Aomine-san’s place is at the kennel.” His voice was monotone and stony as usual but there was a rare hint of irritation if one listened carefully.

“Yes it is. But he is taking care of Kuro while Seijuuro is away so he will spend more time in the manor during that time. I am showing him around.”

He paused for a second and looked at Daiki before adding, “and he will join me for lunch.”

Eyes widening, Mayuzumi protested.

“But Taiga-sama, the master would not approve-”

“He is not here. I am the master while he is gone and I want to have lunch with Daiki.”

Not in any position to go against the young master, the valet gave in and with a small sigh bowed again.

“As you wish. I will inform Kouki to add an extra plate.”

“Thank you,” Taiga replied with a smile.

Daiki had been ready to leave; while he wanted to spend more time with Taiga he knew what the other servant said was right. But when the redhead had invited him to lunch with him he’d been so surprised that he hadn’t had the time to decline. He had a feeling though that Taiga wouldn’t let him.

 

* * *

 

For lunch they had mushroom soup with garlic bread as a starter, roasted pheasant and salted potatoes for main course and lastly a raspberry sherbet for dessert. It was absolutely delicious. Daiki had never in his life eaten something so good before. And not three courses either. He had to thank Ryou later when he saw him. But it wasn’t just the food that made the lunch such a nice experience. During the meal he had gotten to know Taiga more as they’d talked about all sorts of things. It wasn’t awkward or tense at all, just two people having a friendly conversation. And the more he learned about the redhead, the more beautiful he seemed to become. Daiki hadn’t thought it was possible.

Sometimes when they looked at each other he felt something. He liked to think that Taiga felt it too, his red eyes sometimes seemed to indicate such, but he didn’t dare risk inquiring about it and take it further. It was already dangerous enough that he had these thoughts about his  _ master _ . If Seijuuro was to ever know about it he was finished. But...he knew that even if he tried,  he wouldn’t be able to stay away. He was already too far gone.

“That locket of yours, is it from your family? You wear it every time I see you,” Taiga asked halfway through dessert. Daiki took hold of the locket pendant with a fond smile.

“Yes, my mother gave it to me before I left.”

“May I see it?”

“Of course.”

Daiki took the necklace off and handed it to Taiga who opened the locket. Inside he was met by a nice family photo of Daiki and his parents.

“Your mother is beautiful. You got your eye color from her, I see.”

“Yeah. I got my mom’s eyes but the rest from dad. He’s from Touou originally.”

That explained the darker skin complexion. Taiga thought it was beautiful but it wasn’t a common feature in Teikou.

“Was he born there?”

“Yeah. He moved here to work in Rakuzan when he was twenty and met my mother not long after that. I was born here but when I was six we went to dad’s hometown. Though I don’t remember much, just that it was hot.”

Taiga hummed.

“I’ve always wanted to go there. I wish I traveled more.”

“Why haven’t you? I mean, it shouldn’t be difficult for you.”

He was right. It shouldn’t be difficult. Taiga had both the time and money to travel the world. He’d been across the whole of Teikou and visited the neighboring province Kaijou once. During his childhood his father had been busy with work, his mother hosting parties and meeting her many friends. Him and Seijuuro had had their education to occupy them. There simply hadn’t been any time. And now when school was over and he actually  _ had _ time on his hands…Seijuuro had become the obstacle instead.

“I’m sure my brother wouldn’t approve of me traveling so far away. He’s busy with work and won’t be able to accompany me.”

“Have you asked him?”

A humorless laugh slipped through Taiga’s lips.

“I don’t need to.”

He closed the locked and handed it back to Daiki. Not feeling like talking about his brother anymore he changed the subject and they talked for a while about music.   

“I should head back,” Daiki said once they’d finished their meals. Kouki and a maid were clearing the table, and watching a co-worker serve him made the bluenette feel uncomfortable. He figured the others were already talking about him and that they’d bombard him with questions at dinner.

Taiga nodded, hiding the fact that he was disappointed, and stood up.

“I will follow you out. I’m heading to the stables anyway.”

He turned to the two servants and said before they could leave, “thank you. Could you please send my regards to Ryou? It was delicious. Oh and feel free to help yourselves to everything that’s left.”

“Yes, Taiga-sama. Thank you.”

“Kouki, I’ve told you many times to drop the honorific, haven’t I?” Taiga scolded playfully. His smile was mirrored by the brown haired servant who, in Seijuuro’s absence, was much more relaxed.

“Yes. And we both know you will have to continue with that.”

“Yes I know,” Taiga replied with a sigh. They bid each other goodbye for the time being and together with Daiki the red-haired noble made his way to the hall. The whole interaction had been an interesting one to watch. Daiki knew that his master was kind to the servants-as further proved by the time the two of them had spent together- but Taiga and Kouki seemed almost like friends.

“Not that I’m complaining but you seem very close with the servants here.”

Taiga didn’t look at him when he answered but there was a smile tugging at his lips.

“Yes. Some of them have worked here for a long time; I used to play with Riko and Kouki when we were little. They’re about the same age as me. Of course, my father didn’t like it and often scolded me for it. Everyone is working hard for me and Seijuuro so I want to show them how grateful I am. Just because I’m a noble doesn’t mean I have to treat them like dirt.”

Daiki hummed and nodded. The answer didn’t surprise him that much now that he’d gotten to know him better. But he figured that that kind of mindset was rare among the Teikou aristocrats.

He suddenly noticed that Taiga had stopped walking and when he did the same and looked back, the redhead wore an expression that was a bit on the nervous side. Before he could inquire about it the young noble spoke up. 

“Daiki, I enjoyed spending time with you today. Thank you for having lunch with me.”

“A-ah..no problem. I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

Taiga shook his head.

“I know you have work to do but I still asked you to spend time with me. I’m sorry. But I meant it when I said you won’t get into trouble. I hope we can do it again. If you want to…”

The redhead closed his eyes and suppressed an irritated groan, mad at himself for blurting out such things. He wasn’t supposed to say the last part, just thank Daiki and apologize for stealing some of his time. When he heard the other approach his eyes snapped open. The bluenette stopped just a few inches away from him which elicited a quiet gasp. And the faint blush on his cheeks intensified when those blue eyes looked into his so intensely.

Daiki didn’t know what came over him. Seeing the other acting so nervously in front of him, the blush and the words themselves did things to him. Taiga enjoyed spending time with him and wanted to do it again...it was enough to make his heart soar.

The hall was silent; Daiki and Taiga just stared at each other without saying anything. The bluenette had planned on replying but his words had died on his tongue, leaving him silent.

And then Taiga leaned forward, which shocked both of them, and before their lips could touch he flinched back, but not out of reach.

“I’m sorry!” He cried out, eyes just as wide as Daiki’s. 

Not able to hold himself back the bluenette closed the short distance and kissed him. The gasp that puffed against his lips made him realize what he was doing but he didn’t pull back, hoping that he hadn’t misread the other. There were no protests or struggles from Taiga’s side but for the first few seconds he didn’t respond due to his surprised state. His widened eyes eventually fell half mast and he let himself respond, not caring about the consequences.

The kiss deepened and Taiga lifted his hands to grab Daiki’s shoulders. Having similar thoughts, the bluenette let his own hands fall to the other’s hips. His grip was loose, however, as he didn’t want to appear too aggressive. It wasn’t just anyone he was kissing, after all.

He moaned against Taiga’s lips when fingers slid around his shoulders and began playing with the strands at his nape.

He closed his eyes but as soon as he did the image of eyes, one red and one yellow, flashed before him.

_ Seijuuro _

He broke the kiss-although reluctantly- and backed off.

“Shit. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”

Taiga silenced him with a quick peck to his lips. He smiled sheepishly and shook his head.

“Don’t be. I didn’t pull away because I liked it.”

Swallowing hard in his throat Daiki hung his head.

“For some reason I feel really attracted to you...n-not that I don’t find you physically attractive, because I do! I think you’re beautiful but it’s something more than that and I can’t explain it.”

_ Shut up. Don’t say anymore. _

“I’ve barely known you for a week but ever since we met I felt something…”

_ Shit. _

He fisted his hands and waited for the inevitable rejection. It was as crazy as it sounded and even if Taiga had returned the kiss, there was no way he felt the same. That’s how it should have been but the redhead’s next words surprised him.

“Me too.”

Daiki’s gaze snapped up to meet the other’s and his heart skipped a beat at the genuine expression on Taiga’s face. The young noble released a breath of relief.

“I thought it was outrageous of me to feel like that. I mean, like you said, we barely know each other and haven’t spent that much time together until now. But I’m so relieved that it wasn’t just me.”

The confession left Daiki awe-struck. Never would he have guessed that Taiga thought of him like that. Someone like him, a lowly servant. He had nothing and yet he’d somehow managed to have such an effect on the noble.

The wisest thing would be to put an end to this and forget about it. It had already gone too far; it wasn’t right and to continue would be like asking for trouble. They both knew that but...none of them wanted it to end.  

  
  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Yogurtjelly, Roxanne bookdragon, ShinPyon, Noname and narccissistic _Jerk for your lovely comments on the last chapter, <3 And thank you all who gave kudos AND those who read the last chapter even without comments and kudos. Just enjoying and reading my stories is enough <3

 

“Aomine!” Kosuke yelled for the third time, louder and more irritated than prior.

Shaking his head and snapping out of it Daiki looked up and responded with a dumb “Huh?”

“Geez. What’s up with you?”

Daiki had been out of it all afternoon. Since there wasn’t more to be done at the kennel and Kuro was following Daiki around, Kosuke had asked him to help clean the stable. But he hadn’t been of any help; all he’d done was sitting on the fence and staring off into space with hazy eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

Kosuke didn’t like that look. It reminded him of the eyes his friend made the first time he saw Taiga. When he thought about it, he hadn’t seen Daiki around until after lunch; usually the bluenette took the dogs out for walks and since the kennel lay near the stables so he should have seen him.

He froze as he was struck by a sudden thought.

‘ _ Don’t tell me...’ _

“Aomine...where were you during lunch time?”

“I’ve been watching Kuro. While I take care of him I will have to go inside the mansion to feed and wash him. I told you at breakfast.”

The blonde quirked a skeptical brow, unsure whether to believe him or not. He had the feeling that there was to it than that.

Daiki held his stare. He wasn’t exactly lying. He  _ had  _ been in the manor with Kuro. Hopefully Kosuke wouldn’t pry any further. Unfortunately he wasn’t that lucky.

“Is that really all? If it is, then why have you been spacing out with that love struck look on your face? You were thinking of Taiga again, weren’t you?”

Kosuke’s frown deepened at the way Daiki tensed at the mention of the redhead’s name. He crossed his arms and sighed.

“ _ Aomine.” _

“Tsk. What?”

“ I’ve told you over and over again to-”

“I know! I hadn’t planned on it. Just met him in the garden and talked to him for a bit...and had lunch with him.”

The truth was going to come out eventually. Riko, Ryou, Kouki and several maids knew about it already and would undoubtedly question him during dinner. It was better to get it over with now. He glanced up at Kosuke and groaned at the expression he was met with. He knew what was coming next.

“You what?! Do you  _ want  _ to get fired? You  _ idiot! _ ”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re way too loud? Elephants make less noise than you.”

With a scoff Kosuke turned his back against Daiki.

“Fine, I’m done trying to look out for you. Do whatever the hell you want. See if I care,” he said and went back to work. Behind him the bluenette replied with a smirk.

“Good. Wasn’t so hard, was it?”

The blonde ignored him and with his scowl still in place went back to work. Daiki decided to help him as he’d earlier promised and hopped down from the fence, grabbing a shovel. Even when cleaning up horse shit he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. The kiss he shared with Taiga only moments earlier was all he could think of. It was all fresh in his mind but it felt somewhat unreal; to think that he had actually caught that sort of attention of the “untouchable” noble whom he’d fantasized about since the first time he laid eyes on him.

After the kiss they’d both agreed on to be rational and keep it a secret; when  Daiki asked what was going to happen between them Taiga had looked into his eyes and given him a coy smile before walking away. It was all the answer Daiki needed; it meant that this was only the beginning.

 

* * *

 

Sitting outside on the veranda while having some afternoon tea, Taiga was staring into nothing and couldn’t stop thinking about Daiki. The intimate moment had left him excited and the fluttering in his stomach wouldn’t go away despite the passing of several hours.

Never had he felt like this about anyone before. Of course, as a noble he had inevitably attended many parties and gatherings where he met people of his kind. And during these grand events Taiga had seen several boys and girls whom he’d found attractive and would occupy his thoughts for a few hours but none of them had ever made such a strong impression on him like Daiki had.  

He brought his hand up to his lips, fingers touching them as they turned up into a soft smile. The memory of the feeling of Daiki’s lips against them still lingered. A wistful sigh left him; he hadn’t said it in words at the time, but the smile he left Daiki was meant as a confirmation of their newly formed relationship. Whatever it was.

They had to be careful though. He wasn’t supposed to do this, to  _ feel  _ like this and if his brother found out they’d both be in great trouble.

But that’s what made it so exciting.

“Is something the matter, Taiga-sama?” Mayuzumi asked suddenly, having heard the sigh. He was standing near the table should the young master need anything else. Taiga was unaware of it but Seijuuro had asked him to keep an eye on the younger brother during his absence. Mayuzumi was not pleased about the lunch situation; Taiga was far too lenient with the servants and to have lunch together with one on equal terms was unheard of. And now the young master was acting strange.

Surprised when the servant spoke up, Taiga jolted in his seat before turning to look at him with his eyes widened slightly.

“Sorry?”

Careful to not let his annoyance show Mayuzumi repeated the question and bent down to make sure he was being heard.

“Is something the matter?”

“No, not at all,” he replied with a smile.

“Are you certain? Forgive me, but you seem distracted. If you are troubled you can tell me anything.”

“Really, I am fine. I was only thinking about something.” Or rather  _ someone _ but he would never reveal that to Seijuuro’s valet or any other servant for that matter. It was however slightly worrisome that Mayuzumi was quite observant. He had to be careful around him. In order to make himself less suspicious he added, “I’ve been having a hard time with my writing lately and was thinking about how to get my inspiration back.”

Hopefully Mayuzumi believed him.

“Is that so? Well, I am sure it will come back to you.”

Taiga hummed and took another sip of his tea.

“I hope so.”

He usually didn’t lie but in this case it was absolutely necessary. He resisted the urge to scoff; lack of inspiration would certainly not be a problem for a while now with Daiki around.

 

* * *

 

The rest of the day went by as usual. The servants were doing their job and Taiga did whatever he could to fill his loneliness and boredom. A few times during the afternoon he considered his brother’s advice to invite Kazunari over, perhaps he’d be willing to stay for dinner.

He held a feeling of reluctance about eating by himself in the big dining hall. It was early August and the sun still wouldn’t set until after eight so dining in the garden was an agreeable option. But he still wouldn’t have anyone to talk to. Mayuzumi would probably be the one to serve him the platters and stand by while he ate; the grey haired butler was not exactly the best choice for conversation. To be honest Taiga found him rather dull. He thought back to his journey to and from Yosen when he shared the carriage with Mayuzumi and cringed. It had been awkward to say the least.

Taiga glanced at the clock on one of the walls of his studio and put the painting brush down. It was about an hour left until dinner which meant it was too late to call Kazunari. *

He washed his painting brush and removed his white painter’s jacket and called for a servant to prepare him a bath. There was blue paint sticking to his cheeks and hands and despite having opened a window, the august heat was getting to him. It had been cloudy earlier and thus a bit cooler outside but at around three o'clock the winds had blown the clouds away and allowed the sun to come back. He really needed to wash up. 

He washed the color of his tray off. Today he was experimenting with different shades of blue, the inspiration of course coming from a certain dog caretaker.

He wanted to make a portrait of him.

“Would he agree to that?” he muttered to himself and placed the painter jacket down on one of the chairs.

After his bath half an hour later he decided to go down the cellar where the kitchen and servant quarters were. A pleased hum left him as he was greeted by the delicious scent of Ryou’s cooking. Really, if he had been giving the choice, Taiga would rather be able to cook that good than paint or dance.

Whenever he entered the kitchen it didn’t take long for the servants there to notice him and today was no different. Ryou stuttered and bowed, maids distanced themselves out of respect, greeting him with the proper honorific, and Mitobe nodded with a small smile. Riko wasn’t there at the moment but if she had she would have called him Taiga and casually inquire about his visit.

“Hello everyone, I hope I am not disturbing you.”

“N-not at all!” Ryou assured and once against bowed his head.

Kouki then entered with a basket filled with fresh vegetables, no doubt just arriving from the garden where Mibuchi had helped him pick them out.

“Oh...Taiga-sama, I didn’t expect to see you here. Not that I mind of course!”

“Hello Kouki. I was just about to ask if you would mind having me dine with you all tonight.”

A silence followed his question. Kouki, Mitobe and Ryou exchanged hesitant looks before they all turned back to their young master. It was Kouki who answered him.

“W-we would certainly not mind but don’t you think it would be inappropriate? Seijuuro-sama would not-”

“I do not care what Seijuuro thinks.” Taiga hadn’t meant to sound so harsh but at the mention of his brother he lost his temper somewhat. He was getting tired of everyone’s reluctance to conversing with him because of fear for what Seijuuro would think. It wasn’t fair. He hated how much control his brother had over everyone, himself included.

Taking a deep breath he told them the same thing he had told Daiki earlier that day.

“While Seijuuro is away I am in charge of the household and I promise you all that I will take full responsibility for everything if he disapproves. You will not get into any trouble.”

When he was a child Taiga would sometimes be allowed to dine with the servants. His father didn’t like it but his mother would let him because of his close relationship with Kouki and Riko. That’s not to say she was completely fine with it, but as long as it didn’t occur too often she could tolerate it. But when she died, Taiga being only eight and Seijuuro eleven, their father decided to put an end to the mingling with the servants.   
  


“If you say so, Taiga-sama, we would be happy to have you,” Kouki said, although with a slight nervous tilt of his voice. But Taiga wouldn’t comment on it and with a smile went up to the stove where Ryou and Mitobe were preparing the food.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“N-no! I mean...please have a seat and wait. Would you like something to drink? Some wine perhaps?”

“No thank you,” Taiga replied and went to sit by the wooden long table, a bit disappointed.

A while later Riko appeared. She wasn’t all that surprised about his presence and didn’t make a big scene of it. Also, if she was against him eating with them she didn’t show it. That’s what Taiga liked about her; just because he was a noble didn’t make her treat him like he was above her.

By the time the food was ready most servants were present. Usually they didn’t eat until after the masters and they also ate simpler dishes. But Taiga had insisted that they all eat the same. Even though it was only Taiga at home Ryou had prepared an extravagant meal of the usual grand size, all on Seijuuro’s orders.

“ _ There is no reason for Taiga to be less taken care of just because I am absent. Make sure he is comfortable at all times.” _

This Seijuuro had told the higher ranked members of the staff which were Harasawa, Riko, Ryo and Mayuzumi.

For the servants Ryou had prepared leek and potato soup but Taiga insisted that everyone help themselves to some bacon wrapped beef as well.

Daiki, Kagetora and Kosuke were the last ones to arrive. When they entered the kitchen and saw Taiga, Daiki instantly moved to approach him but was stopped by Kosuke who grabbed his arm. With narrowed eyes the bluenette turned to his friend.

“You said you didn’t care what I did,” he grumbled and tried to pull away but Kosuke didn’t let up.

“I won’t if you do it in secret. But not here where everyone can see.”

“Tch.”

He wasn’t stupid. He wasn’t going to walk up to Taiga and kiss him in front of everyone...he just wanted to talk to him. 

Kagetora hadn’t noticed the exchange as he’d already flung himself at his daughter who desperately tried to keep him away.

Daiki gave up on talking to Taiga but he still decided to look his way and was pleased when those red eyes met his. A silent greeting transpired through their shared gaze.

They had to tear themselves away from each other when the food was being put down on the table and everyone got seated. Daiki managed to take the spot just opposite Taiga.

Once the young master started eating the rest followed suit.

“Wow this is delicious, Ryou! I’ve never had meat this good before! You’re great.” It was Daiki who’d spoken. After his first bite of the beef he hadn’t been able to keep it to himself. Granted, he already knew the skills of the young cook but this was high quality meat that he had never had the luxury of tasting.

Taiga nearly dropped his fork. There was a blush on his face as he looked at the other and he suddenly felt himself envious of Ryou. He wanted Daiki to praise  _ him _ like that. He wanted to be able to draw out such a reaction from him. That childishly satisfied smile on his face was something he wanted to be the reason for.

If he learned how to cook, would he be able to do that?   
  


“So, Taiga,” Riko suddenly spoke up. Her father scolded her for addressing the young master so casually. She ignored him and continued without any further interruptions, “I heard Daiki joined you for lunch today. In the garden.”

“Yes. I asked him to join me,” Taiga said simply and took another bite of his food. When no one said anything he decided to add, “if any of you would like to have lunch with me tomorrow I wouldn’t mind.”

At this Mayuzumi and Harasawa made their disapproval known.

“Taiga-sama!”

But Harasawa raised his hand as a way to silence the young valet.

“Forgive me, my lord, but as fine a gesture as that is, I can not agree on that. I hope you don’t find me rude when I say this but that would, bluntly put, be an inconvenience as we all have busy schedules to follow. We have our work to tend to and can not afford any distractions that might cause delay. And I am sure I don’t have to remind you about the difference of our statures. You dining with us now is improper enough.”

“But considering you only have to care for me,  _ one person _ , there is less work to be done. I think you can spare an hour, can you not? Besides, I don’t need to be served such big meals. One or two plates are enough-”

“Seijuuro-sama has ordered for you to be well taken care of.”

Seijuuro again.

Taiga decided to give in. For now.

“Fine. I would hate to be a bother to you all. I will not get in the way for your work. I’m sorry.”

“Not at all,” Harasawa was quick to intercept, “there is no need to apologize. I merely think it is for the best to do as your brother has instructed.”

“I see.”

Daiki watched Taiga and felt sorry for him. He looked so disappointed despite the obvious effort trying to hide it. Some of the other servants seemed to share said disappointment. They would probably be happy to take a break and have a fancy lunch together with the young master. It couldn’t be easy; Taiga wanted to be friends with them but because of his position wasn’t allowed to. There was no law in Teikou that forbade befriending one’s servants but it was frowned upon by many. It seemed that the older Akashi had as much control over him as the staff. 

“Daiki.”

Looking up at Kagetora whom spoke his name Daiki almost flinched at the disapproving glare he was met with.

“Why was I not informed of this? Did you not have work to do?”

Damn it. He had only been here a week and was already scolded by his superior.

“I-”

“He was taking care of Kuro. When that little beast saw me it followed me into the house and as its current caretaker Daiki had no choice but to go after him. He knows how much I hate dogs and wanted to make sure I was fine. So I invited him to eat with me.”

Then his eyes hardened and Kagetora could see a part of Seijuuro in the young master for a moment.

“He will not be held accounted for or receive any punishment, is that clear?”

It seemed to surprise everyone, no less Daiki. But it wasn’t in a bad way; truth to be told he actually found it rather attractive. It was nice to see that Taiga could be strict when he wanted to be. 

“Y-yes, Taiga-sama.”

“Good.”

Then Taiga’s whole demeanor changed and with a pleasant smile he changed the subject.

“So, who wants some dessert?”   
  


* * *

 

“Mm...what if someone finds us?” Daiki groaned and threw his head back against the wall as Taiga kissed at his neck. It would be an understatement if he said he was surprised at the young master's sudden boldness. After dinner Taiga managed to get a hold of him and discreetly asked him to meet up in the broom closet beneath one of the staircases in the hall.

It was getting late and many servants had retired for the evening. Riko, Mitobe and Ryou were the ones left in the kitchen and Harasawa was making his evening round to make sure everything was in order.

“Don't worry,” Taiga assured with a smile against the servant’s throat, “no one will need a broom at this hour. The floors have already been cleaned for the day.”

“But-”

Daiki's complaint was silenced by a kiss. It didn't take long before he forgot what he wanted to say and gave in to the lips that moved against his own. It had only been half a day but he’d already begun to miss those lips. He pressed back and returned it with equal eagerness, lifting his arms to wind them around Taiga's neck. Compared to earlier when they kissed for the first time, they could now enjoy the moment and  _ really _ get to  _ know _ one another without interruptions and risk of prying eyes. 

They broke apart for some air, eyes meeting, but it lasted only for a short moment before they once more closed the gap. Daiki's hands left Taiga's neck and wandered down to settle on his hips. As for Taiga, he had put his own arms around the servant's waist.

He hadn't felt like this in a long time, if  _ ever _ . Daiki felt so good against him and there was a constant, pleasant fluttering in his belly. They were in a confined space and risked being found out which was a thrilling thing in itself, but it really was the forbidden act of a noble like himself to be intimate with a commoner- a servant- that excited him the most.

With that thought in mind Taiga grew bolder and slid his hands in beneath Daiki's shirt to touch the fine skin of a well defined abdomen and broad chest. He'd never gone this far with anyone; the furthest he'd gotten was kissing and even then it was on a milder scale compared to the fervent kisses he shared with Daiki right now.

Taiga's hands surprised him, so much that he gasped out of the lip-lock. He enjoyed the touches, embraced them, and tightened the grip of his hands.

“Touch me too.” The request came out as a soft, longing whisper and Daiki had almost missed it in his lusty daze. He had picked up what he needed to understand however and hesitated for a brief moment. He wanted to touch the other, he really did, but wouldn't that take it too far? Taiga was his master and could more easily be forgiven for touching him but it didn't work the other way around. Even with Taiga's permission to do so, touching him like that was absolutely forbidden.

When he made his thoughts known Taiga chuckled and nuzzled into his neck.

“And kissing me is any better? I'd say we've already crossed the line of what is forbidden.”

Well, he couldn't argue with that.

“Please,” he panted into Daiki's ear but didn't wait for a response and took hold of one of the servant's hands, bringing it to his exposed chest; he had hurriedly undone all the buttons of his shirt the moment they stepped inside the closet.

Swallowing the hard lump in his throat Daiki nodded and slowly took control over his hands. Taiga had let go of him and pressed his body closer to give him better access.

Daiki's blue eyes watched as if in a trance as his hands caressed the perfect skin of the other's sides. He knew Taiga would be perfect but it was even better than he'd imagined during his nights thinking about him. His gaze lowered and his hands followed, trailing down over the muscled abdomen, hips and reaching around to feel Taiga's back.

The approving moan that his touches drew out from his master spurred him on and he suddenly snagged hold of Taiga's bare hips and pulled him in for another kiss.

They kept at it for another five minutes, just kissing and touching, before Daiki with a heavy heart had to put an end to it.

He was a bit out of breath when he spoke up.

“I have to go. Kagetora is probably wondering where I am.”

Although disappointed, Taiga agreed with him. They kissed one last time before letting go of each other and tried best they could to tame their now disheveled appearance.

“I'll be reading in the garden tomorrow after lunch. If you were to take Kuro out for a walk...” Taiga trailed off with a knowing smirk as he buttoned his shirt.

No more needed to be said. Daiki understood what he meant and replied with a smile of his own.

“I'll see what I can do.”

Daiki left the broom closet first; it was better that they went separately so they wouldn't get caught together. Mayuzumi was probably looking for the young master so it was risky. Taiga waited for a few minutes after his fling left before he exited. Silently he began to make his way to his room and when he got there, Mayuzumi was waiting.

“Taiga-sama, where have you been? I looked for you in the kitchen.”

“I went to see Shiro. I wanted to feed him some carrots since he hasn't gotten any treats lately.”

“You should not do that yourself. Wakamatsu can take care of that if you ask him.”

Taiga didn't feel like arguing with the man. He was almost as bad as Seijuuro when it came to these matters. So he only nodded and said “I'll remember that for next time.”

Mayuzumi seemed pleased with his answer and nodded.

“Do you need anything before going to bed? Anything I can assist with?”

“No, I am fine thank you. Good night,” Taiga replied and entered his room. Behind him the valet bowed and remained there until Taiga closed the door.

It took him a long time to fall asleep. All he could think about was Daiki and how much he looked forward to seeing him again tomorrow.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Calling Kazunari - Phones were invited around this time and it wasn't uncommon in rich families and big households to have one.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a really annoying home exam this week so the chapter is a bit shorter but hope it's ok anyway. As always, thank you all for the support! <3 Kisses and hugs to you all !

 

“F-forgive me, Taiga-sama, I must have misheard you!” Ryou Sakurai stuttered out meekly and shook his head. Despite his words he had heard the young master very well. He just hoped that it was a joke. But if he knew Taiga right, it wasn’t.

And he was right.

Taiga chuckled before offering a sheepish smile.

“No you heard right. I want you to teach me how to cook.”

“B-but the kitchen is not the place for someone like yourself! Y-you should not sully your hands with such low work. Besides, Seij-”

“ _ Don’t _ say his name,” Taiga warned with narrowed eyes. He would not tolerate any excuse that involved his brother. He was going to learn how to cook one way or the other; with or without Ryou’s help.

Ryou swallowed thickly and bowed to the young master.

“Forgive me!”

Taiga smiled once again and lightly patted one of the cook’s shoulders.

“Please relax yourself. I only want to learn some basics. I won’t get in the way, I promise!”

Ryou held his pleading stare and by then he knew that he’d lost. There was no way he could say no when Taiga asked him like that. It was still early and he wouldn’t start making lunch until 3 hours from now so there was time for some easy cooking. He opened his mouth to speak but the young master beat him to it.

“Harasawa left for Rakuzan on an errand and I asked Mayuzumi to accompany him. They won’t be back until late afternoon.”

The cook closed his eyes and released a deep breath.

“If you wish it, Taiga-sama. B-but if I may ask, what brought this on?”

Taiga looked down at the floor in hope to hide the pinkish hue that settled on his cheeks. He began to play with the hem of his shirt as he answered the question best he could.

“Well...it’s just that you all work so hard for me and Seijuuro and for a while now I have wanted to do something for you in return. I thought if you taught me how to cook I could make you a big dinner eventually.”

While what he said was true, it was only half the reason. There was a more selfish factor that played into it as well.

_ I want to make food for Daiki. _

But that was his own little secret.

“It is our job, Taiga-sama. You need not-”

“But I want to.”

Ryou sighed yet again. But he had already given in so he nodded and walked up to a shelf at the other side of the room. He took out an apron and handed it to the young master.

“We will start with different ways to cook eggs. Boiled, fried and scrambled are the easiest ones so let us do that.”

“Thank you so much!”

They spent the next hour cooking eggs just like planned. What Ryou hadn’t counted on, however, was how fast Taiga learned. He was what you would call a natural in the kitchen. And because of that they had time to make tea and porridge. The latter was a bit more difficult and Taiga’s first two attempts failed, resulting in him burning it. But on his third time with only a little assistance from Ryou who stood next to him at all times, he succeeded. Taiga had brought a notepad with him that he wrote down every instruction in.

There was about one and a half hour left until the cook had to start on lunch and it was decided that Taiga would be helping.

While Taiga cleaned up the things they’d used, Ryo looked through another shelf before finding what he was looking for; a cookbook.

“Here,” he said and handed the object to the young master, “this is a beginner’s guide to cooking and contains some easy recipes. Please read through it and be here in one and a half hour. You will assist me and Mitobe-san.”

Brightening up like a light Taiga eagerly took the book into his arms and with a  “thank you” left the room to start reading it in the gazebo. He brought his notebook and pen with him as well.

Ryou looked after him and couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at his lips. Taiga was such a kind and friendly person. So different from his brother. The oldest Akashi wasn’t cruel by any means but he rarely spoke to the lower servants, rarely even acknowledging them in fact.

Ryou was sure that most of the estate’s servants would’ve preferred Taiga as the master of the household. Himself included.

He just hoped that he wouldn’t get into too much trouble for allowing Taiga to help him in the kitchen. Even if Harasawa and Mayuzumi were in town - the two servants who held most loyalty to Seijuuro - it didn’t mean that the truth wouldn’t come out.

The cook sighed yet again.

“What a troublesome young master we have.”

 

* * *

 

Taiga was fascinated; all the recipes and instructions, he’d never thought that cooking could be so interesting. Some recipes were more difficult than others, but they all demanded so much work and precision. Preparing the ingredients properly, cooking at the right temperatures, keeping track of time and having several pots cooking at the same time. The list just went on and Taiga loved every second reading about it. Although demanding, cooking seemed like much fun and he couldn’t wait to try it even more. Making different kinds of eggs had been fun, but he felt ready to for more advanced stuff.

He’d been sitting in the gazebo learning as much as he possibly could so that he wouldn’t be too much of a burden to Ryou later. Time had passed quickly without him noticing and it wasn’t until someone knocked on one of the windows that he realized it was time to go back to the kitchen. It was Mitobe who came to get him. He was about Taiga’s age, a few months older, and had black hair with greyish eyes. He was mute and often came off as serious but also very kind.

They went to the kitchen together and as soon as he entered Ryou handed him the apron from earlier.

“We are making a poached salmon and cold potato salad as your starter. Then-”

“No. I will have what you are having and eat with you all.”

Taiga was prepared for the cook to protest and thus was quick to to silence him.

“There is no need to make so much food for me. Is it not better that I learn something easier from the start?”

“As you wish,” Ryou said, although reluctantly and hung his head in defeat. He asked Mitobe to put the ingredients for Taiga’s meals back into the pantry and take out the ones for the servants’ lunch.

He glanced at the young master and presented the recipe, starting over with the presentation.

“We are making rice and vegetable curry* stew.“

“No meat?”

“We do not eat meat everyday as you and Seijuuro-sama are our priority. Good meat is not to be wasted on us servants. Of course, there is always some mutton, poultry and beef left for us that I can use but I do not want to waste it too much.”

This surprised Taiga. He and Seijuuro had some kind of meat everyday for every meal. He didn’t really know what the staff diet comprised of but he’d thought for sure that it was well nutritioned. Apparently not.

“I would certainly not want to get in your way and change your plan, but you have my permission to use some of the beef I saw in the pantry earlier. You will not be held accounted for, I promise you that.”

Ryou hesitated. He, Harasawa and Riko were the ones responsible for overseeing the pantry. If he used some of the high quality beef it would be noticed. However, he did have Taiga’s permission….

“Let us use it,” the red haired noble encouraged and the cook knew it wasn’t much he could do about it. He nodded and went to get some of the meat.

“Did you read anything about curry, Taiga-sama?”

“I did actually. Though I am not sure how to cook it. I only know that it is made from the curry spice that grows in the Touou colony. But fresh spices are expensive so it is common to use curry powder instead. Isn’t that right?”

Ryou nodded, pleased that he didn’t have to explain too much.

“That is correct. However, we do use more fresh spice than the powder as it adds more flavor and tastes much better. Mitobe and I will make the stew. You will cook the rice.”

This surprised Taiga, although not in a bad way by any means.

“Really? I thought I was only watching and handing you ingredients.”

“You wish to learn do you not? I believe you can manage if you follow my instructions. Now, what do you know about rice?”

And five minutes later they began. Taiga did exactly as he was told and having read a little bit about how to cook rice - he’d only had a little over an hour after all - he knew that it had to be boiled.

He was also given written instructions written by Ryou himself; the young cook was there for support but wanted him to learn a little by himself by reading. Following a recipe was also an important part in cooking.

With much concentration Taiga poured the measured water into a big sauce pan and added the correct number of scoops of rice. He then placed it on the now hot stove. During his time working in the kitchen he took his own notes writing down everything he was doing as well as every instruction and advice given to him by Ryou. He was very much enjoying himself so far.

While the rice boiled he watched Ryou slice the meat into small dices and once he was finished, he asked Taiga to cut vegetables. In fear of the young master cutting himself by accident - who knew what Seijuuro would do if that happened- he gave Taiga knife that was slightly dull but still functional for vegetables.

“Make sure to keep an eye on the rice as well. We don’t want it to boil over.”

“Understood.”

 

* * *

 

Daiki was on his way back to the kennel after just finishing a walk with three hunting dogs, when he was approached by Kosuke.

“Aomine, are you done soon?”

“Yes, I’m on my way back.”

It was almost time for lunch and the two of them usually went together. Kosuke walked next to him and for a moment he was quiet but a few minutes later he glanced at his friend and smirked.

“Are you excited about lunch?”

Furrowing a questioning brow the bluenette asked, “excited? Why would I?”

He didn’t understand. What was so special about today’s lunch? Or was Kosuke just making conversation? Even so, it was strange the way he worded the question and that smirk of his only made it all the more suspicious.

“Well,” the stable boy began, “I thought you’d be. But perhaps you haven’t heard. I was actually hoping to be the one to tell you.”

“What are you on about?” Daiki asked with a sigh and opened the entrance to the kennel. He bent down to remove the leashes from the dogs.

When he processed the words that Kosuke spoke next he stiffened.

“It just so happens that Taiga is helping Ryou and Mitobe in the kitchen. You’ll get to eat food made by him.”

Taiga cooking? Well that was certainly unexpected. A noble helping in the kitchen,  _ cooking _ for servants, was completely unheard of. Then again, Taiga was not like many other nobles when it came to these things.

“Why?” He asked out loud but more out of curiosity rather than the disapproval so many other servants would probably react with. In truth, he was excited about this new discovery and couldn’t wait to try some of Taiga’s food.

“Don’t look so happy,” Kosuke warned, “he’s an aristocrat and has never cooked in his life. We might not survive this.” He studied Daiki thoughtfully for short moment before adding, “though I suppose you’d be happy to die by his hand.”

Rolling his eyes Daiki scoffed at him. He freed the last dog of its leash before leading all three to their cages. He didn’t retort to the remark however and after locking all the cages made his way to the mansion together with his blonde friend.

Kuro was waiting outside the kennel and followed them inside. Knowing that he wasn’t allowed in the kitchen he lay down at the threshold.

The kitchen smelled nice; the familiar scent of curry made Daiki realize how hungry he really was and his stomach rumbled. When he entered he immediately spotted Taiga. The young noble was wearing an apron and had a white cloth wrapped around his head, a few red, spiky strands sticking out from beneath. Anyone would think it looked silly - and it did- but Daiki found the word charming more suitable.

He was in the process of scooping up food onto Riko’s plate. Ryou was already at the table, having taken a seat a few minutes prior. He had been very against it as he didn’t want Taiga to serve them all but of course the stubborn young master won their argument in the end. When Shinji told Daiki about it, the bluenette sniggered.

When it was his turn to receive a plate his smile fell, however. Taiga was close to him now and he was smiling at him in a way that made his heart flutter. His mind wandered back to yesterday’s intimate moments and he felt his face heat up. Their fingers touched when Taiga handed him his filled plate; judging by the look he was given it was intentional and it made him want to kiss him again. But that was obviously out of the question at the moment. Dejectedly he went to take a seat. It was a rule that no one starts to eat until the last person has made themselves seated.

“So, Taiga, what of all this did you make?” Riko asked once the young master sat down. Being the last, they could all begin.

“I made the rice and chopped the vegetables. Ryou and Mitobe did all the hard work.”

“That is not true, Taiga-sama,” the cook was quick to deny but it was mostly true. As a beginner, Taiga had done the easier elements of the dish. That’s not to say he hadn’t learned though, because he had. During the time when the rice was slowly boiling Ryou had given him a lesson about how to make a stew. How to cook the meat, add spices and such. Taiga had written down every detail and they’d agreed that the young noble would try making it himself soon.

Daiki was slightly disappointed that Taiga hadn’t been involved in making the stew. But he supposed the opportunity to eat food cooked by him would arise after the young master had gotten some more practice. He’d take whatever he got and so far it was promising. Riko praised him for it which caused the redhead to blush.

“T-thank you.”

Daiki bit his lower lip.

_ ‘He’s adorable.’ _

Taiga got to keep the cookbook for further studies and as “homework” from Ryo was to read about how to cook potatoes. They’d come to an agreement to have lessons whenever Harasawa was busy or away and made everyone keep it a secret. Most servants prefered Taiga over Seijuuro so it wasn’t too difficult to get their approval. Those who were the most loyal to the older Akashi, however, were Mayuzumi, Harasawa, Nebuya and Mibuchi.

After he’d helped cleaning up the dishes Taiga left and was very happy with what he’d accomplished in such a short amount of time. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit filler-ish but the cooking thing will come back every now and then.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A long chapter. I didn't know where to stop so... xD
> 
> Anyway, I can't promise that there will be more weekly updates for a while. I have started on the next chapter but things are gonna get busy now in University before christmas so i might not have much time for writing. But I'll try my best. 
> 
> Thank you for the support as always! <3

 

A few days passed. During that time Taiga and Daiki had grown closer and further gotten to know each other. They tried to see each other as often as possible, to make the time for secret meetings where they’d share bodily intimacy or simply talk without any distractions. Both had come to terms with the intensity of their feelings despite the short time of being acquaintanced  and reached the conclusion that it was simply a matter of love at first sight. 

But one evening Kagetora contracted a high fever and sore throat which filled Daiki’s already busy enough schedule. Not only did he have to take care of the kennel and dogs by himself, there was now his ill superior to tend to. As housekeeper Riko had much work to do during the days and could not care for her father as much as she would have liked; so it fell on Daiki instead. Then there was also Kuro that needed to be fed and walked. This was all unfortunate but also troublesome because it prevented Daiki from seeing the young master whom he held such affection for. 

So the morning after Kagetora fell ill Taiga invited Kazunari to accompany him to Rakuzan for a day in the city. Taiga was disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to spend time with Daiki, but he knew it couldn’t be helped. Kagetora’s health was more important and he hoped for him to recover soon. He’d gladly spend some time with one of his closest friends instead; he hadn’t seen or written to Kazunari since his birthday celebration which had inflicted him with a sense of guilt. But he planned to redeem himself by treating him to lunch at one of his favorite restaurants in Rakuzan. 

Mayuzumi had of course objected to the idea at first. Seijuuro’s instructions clearly dictated that Taiga was not to leave the estate grounds unattended. Rakuzan was the last place he would want his little brother to go without him, even with Shintaro’s husband for company. When the grey haired servant told him this, Taiga had simply shrugged his shoulders and asked him to accompany him. Kazunari would bring his personal butler as well so they would not be unsupervised. With Harasawa’s consent the matter was agreed on.   

And so they left after breakfast. The mansion where the Midorima couple lived lay closer to Rakuzan than the Akashi estate did; due to Shintaro’s job and owning the hospital there he had to be able to get there relatively quickly. By carriage it took about thirty minutes. Because of this Taiga decided that they should meet up at the Midorima estate and from there go to the capital together in a shared carriage. 

“Taiga, it’s so good to see you. What have you been up to lately?” Kazunari chirped when they arrived and gave Taiga a hug. Before the young Akashi could answer, however, he added with a pout, “what could be so important that you forgot about me?”

Chuckling Taiga patted him on the shoulder and offered a sheepish smile. 

“Sorry. I’ve had so much inspiration lately and had to make the best of it.”

Anyone who knew him would assume that he was talking about either his paintings or writing and Kazunari was no different. But in reality, what Taiga really meant was how occupied he’d been with Daiki and his  _ inspiration  _ regarding him. 

“I see. Well, I suppose I can forgive you for that. It is important to you, after all.”

“Thank you,” Taiga replied with a smile, “I will make it up to you. How about I treat you to lunch at Seiho?”

The reaction was instant; Kazunari beamed at the offer and hooked his elbow around Taiga’s arm. 

“I won’t say no to that!” 

And with that they entered the carriage with their two servants. Kazunari’s butler was a serious-looking man named Taisuke Otsubo. He was tall with short brown hair and eyes of the same color. He and Mayuzumi sat next to each other on one side while their masters sat on the other. The only greeting they gave each other was a mutual nod. Taiga and Kazunari exchanged looks, knowing that their trip would be an awkward one. At least, it would be if they all remained quiet. Awkward silence was never an issue when the two young nobles were together. 

They paid their servants no mind and happily chatted away about everything and nothing. To Taiga’s surprise, however, Taisuke would sometimes chime in with a few words, agree to something or give an honest yet polite opinion. Of course he’d met the man several times but never really spoken to him other than greetings. When they arrived in Rakuzan he found himself take a liking to the man somewhat. He was more fun than Mayuzumi at least. 

By the time they arrived the clock struck eleven which was a bit too early for lunch so they decided to look around in some shops first. Naturally Taiga wanted to visit his favorite bookshop and it became their first stop. 

He browsed the front shelf that sported the newest releases. Last time he was there had been almost two months ago and there were a few new books he’d never seen or heard about. He found one novel that looked interesting but just when he was about to pick it up he caught sight of something in the corner of his eye; big golden letters that formed a title hinting a completely different genre. 

A cookbook. 

He touched the book’s spine hesitantly, glanced over his shoulder to make sure Kazunari wasn’t standing behind him - which he wasn’t- before taking it off the shelf. It was a thick book and apparently the newest within cookin; an exotic and varied mix of recipes from all over the world. It sounded interesting. He flipped through a few pages to read some of the recipes and found himself very eager to try some of them. Both to eat and cook them. 

“I’m sure Ryou would be very happy to have it.”

Ryou had been so nice to let him help in the kitchen and teach him some things; the cook had always been kind to him of course and worked hard everyday. So Taiga figured he’d buy the book for him as a thank you gift. And perhaps something for the other servants as well. 

_ ‘What would Daiki want?’  _

“Taiga.”

Jumping at Kazunari’s sudden appearance at his side Taiga gasped and squeezed the book tightly to his chest. The reaction made the dark haired boy laugh. 

“Did I scare you?” He asked with an amused quirk of his eyebrow and chuckled at the slight frown sent his way. He opted for an apology but Taiga couldn’t make out any remorse or guilt in his voice as he did. Kazunari wasn’t sorry and he knew it. Then his friend’s eyes lowered to the book in his hands. 

“Oh you found something.” It was more of a statement than question and Taiga nodded, showing him the book. 

“A cookbook?”

“Yes, I was thinking of buying it for Ryou. He collects cookbooks not just because it is his job, but he is very passionate about cooking in general. Everything we eat at home comes from his personal collection, not the standard cookbooks that most households provide.”

“I see. It is a suitable gift for him .” Then Kazunari hesitated and debated with himself whether to make his thoughts known or not. He decided on the first and cleared his throat. 

“Isn’t it a bit expensive though?”

Taiga quirked a brow.

“I can very much afford it, you know that.”

Money was  _ certainly  _ not an issue. He could buy the whole shop if he wanted to and the amount would barely make any difference to his and Seijuuro’s economy. Not that he actually wanted it. 

“Of course I know,” his friend replied and carefully thought about how to pick his next words, “I just meant that perhaps it is a little too much to spend on a servant.”

Kazunari was by no means cruel or belittling to servants but like so many other nobles he had been raised to accept the difference of status between him and the people working for his family. That also meant to treat them differently than his friends, family and people of equal stature. And even though Taiga had been raised the same way - for the most part- he still insisted on befriending them. 

“It is not too much. Do you realize how much work he and the others endure every day just so that me and Seijuuro can live comfortably?” He hadn’t meant to sound harsh but he was disappointed that so many people disapproved of him being close to the servants. What was so wrong about wanting to make them happy? To thank them for their hard work? When he spoke his voice was raised slightly which caused several heads to turn their way. He averted his eyes to the floor in embarrassment before offering his friend a sheepish smile. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.”

“It’s fine, Taiga. I’m sorry for upsetting you. If you want to buy it for your cook then of course you should do so.”

Taiga nodded and went to the register to pay. He didn’t buy any books for himself; the ones Alex had gotten him for his birthday would keep him occupied for a while longer so there was no need to. Just watching had been enough today. 

The visit to the store had taken about 15 minutes and the two young nobles decided that it was still too early for lunch so they walked the streets in search for something that would catch their attention. 

And something did. At least, it very much caught Kazunari’s attention. He glanced first at Taiga, then at the two servants walking behind them at a respectable distance and smiled coyly. 

“Taiga,” he said with his voice hushed and gently nudged him with his elbow. The redhead looked down at him in question. 

“Hm?”

“I would like to go there and have a look,” he explained and subtly gestured to a shop to the right. Taiga followed his eyes and was so surprised that he forgot to see where he was going, which resulted in him stumbling on a loose cobblestone. He caught himself before he could hit the ground and blushed at the unwanted attention his clumsiness had earned him. 

Mayuzumi was on him instantly. 

“Are you alright, Taiga-sama?” He asked worriedly but the young master waved him off with a smile. 

“Yes I am fine. Actually, would you be willing to do something for me?”

“Of course.”

“Could you go to the pharmacy and buy some coughing medicine? I spoke to Riko last night and she told me that we are running short so I offered to buy some while here. Kagetora will need some now when he is ill. Oh, and some herbal tea.”

“Yes of course.”

“Otsubo, go with him. And while you’re at it, could you please go to the post office and hand in a letter for me?”

The Midorima butler bowed with a polite “Yes sir” but Mayuzumi was not too happy with the arrangement. 

“But Taiga-sama….and Kazunari-sama, that would leave you by yourselves. If anything was to happen-”

“Do not worry,” Taiga interrupted him. He seemed to do that alot lately, “we will have a look around in the shops on this street only. You will find us easily; we will not go farther.”

Although still a bit reluctant about the idea Mayuzumi gave in. He would make sure to complete his errand quickly. 

Once the two servants left them to themselves, the young nobles made their way to the shop Kazunari was so intent on visiting. Taiga gave the sign a hesitant look before glancing at his friend.  

“Kazu, are you sure?” 

“Of course. This is the best one.”

“Do you visit these sort of shops often?”

“Yes.”

_ Lingerie.  _

Lingerie was a unisex-focused industry. Romantic relationships between the same gender was not uncommon in Teikou; in fact, it was widely accepted. A lot of men were also considered to possess the ability to be just as sensual as women. Masculinity was not solely something harsh, strong and insensitive. And so lingerie for men became an accepted part of the clothing industry. 

Of course, there were preferred standards and criteria that men were encouraged to meet in order to wear them to their fullest potential. Some men even chose to wear corsets similar to women and no one would think it strange. Kazunari was a typical kind of man that reached said preferred standards. He was on the shorter side, slender and thin. That’s not to say he didn’t have any muscle on him but he was more delicate.

Kazunari took hold of Taiga’s arm and dragged him with him into the shop. There was a sweet scent lingering inside and everything was very clean. But Taiga supposed that was to be expected from a store of that kind. This was completely unfamiliar territory to him; the thought of wearing the things he saw had never occurred to him even once and he was honestly surprised that Kazunari was so familiar with it. They’d never talked about it before. 

“If you buy things like these often...does that mean you wear them in front Shintaro?” The thought was a strange one and honestly made Taiga a little uncomfortable. Mainly because it was  _ Shintaro _ ; the stoic, serious... _ prude _ doctor who was one of his brother’s closest friends. His question earned him a snigger. 

“Of course. What did you think? That I wear them for comfort?”

“Well...I just can’t imagine Shintaro to be the type that likes this stuff.”

Kazunari’s expression turned sly. He lowered his voice into a whisper as he spoke next. 

“He likes it a lot. But you know, because of his position and reputation he feels like he can’t be open with it. No one knows except us, you and  _ maybe _ a few of the servants but they’d never dare tell anyone.”

A thoughtful hum slipped through Taiga’s lips at the revelation. Though he wasn’t sure how to feel about it. He swept his eyes around the shop, taking in the various merchandise available. There was a men's and women's section but also one unisex section although a bit smaller. It was mainly jewelry, ribbons and garters. 

“Are you buying anything, Taiga?” Kazunari asked as he browsed through some choker necklaces. The red haired noble shook his head. 

“No.”

“Aw why not?”

“I don’t have the right figure for it. It would not look good on me.” 

While Kazunari was short and lean, Taiga was tall and on the bulkier side; he made sure to keep himself fit by going on regular walks, swim during summer and lift weights. 

“There are pieces everyone one can wear no matter their figure. Though I really think it would suit you regardless; you have a great figure. Sure, a bit broad but it’s not a big issue. You have amazing legs.”

“But I’d have to be married in order to wear them… I can’t put them on for someone who isn’t my husband.”

He immediately thought of Daiki. 

_ ‘What would he think if he saw me in it?’ _

Would he like it? Would he think it suited him? The scenario that automatically began to play out in his mind caused heat to rise to his cheeks, coloring them with a reddish hue. Sex outside of marriage was frowned upon by many. Especially among the aristocracy. Of course, prostitution was a booming business but it was never talked about. Most nobles pretended it never existed even if some of them were involved in it themselves, hypocritical as they were. If Taiga bought something from this shop it meant that he was ready to wear it in the bedroom, during sex. 

Sex with Daiki...

Kazunari saw the blush as well as the dazed expression and was struck by suspicion. 

“Taiga...when you say that, do you mean that there is someone who you’d be willing to wear this for if you were married to them?”

Taiga stiffened, eyes widening slightly and it was all the reaction the other boy needed. 

“There is!” Kazunari exclaimed excitedly, “Who is it? Someone I know? Oh is it one of Alex’s acquaintances? She does know a lot of pretty faces, after all. Wait, when did this happen?”

Too many questions all at once. Taiga raised one hand to cover his friend’s mouth. 

“Please stop. You can’t tell  _ anyone _ about this, understood?”

The other nodded. With a sigh Taiga removed his hand. 

“So...who is it?”

“I can’t tell you that. But I met him a little over a week ago.”

“At your birthday celebration?”

“Y-yeah.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. He’d met Daiki the day before but he’d talked to him more on the birthday celebration. 

“Is that why you suddenly disappeared for a while? Before the gift-opening?”

He nodded. This new piece of information seemed to please the other. Taiga wasn’t surprised; Kazunari had made it clear that he wanted him to find someone to love and marry. Just like Alex. 

“Then you should definitely buy something here. Once you get married you can wear it for him. I’ll help you. But we have to hurry up before your stuck-up servant comes back.”

“I don’t know...I mean, what if Seijuuro or one of the servants finds it?”

That was an embarrassment he’d like to live without. 

“Honestly, your brother is way too protective of you. Taiga even if you’re not married, secret lovers isn’t something new. It happens all the time and everywhere. If nobody finds out it’s fine. I assure you most people have had sex several times before they marry. Just hide it somewhere good.”

In the end Taiga gave in and with Kazunari as his advisor left the store with a pair of red over-knee socks with black satin bows adorning the top and a garter made of black lace and a red satin band. That was all he was ready for, unlike his friend who’d bought some things that he never could have guessed. But despite buying them, he wasn’t sure if he had the courage to ever wear them...

Taiga stuffed the relatively small bag into his inner pocket so that Mayuzumi wouldn’t take notice of it. 

Speaking of which, they reunited with their servants a few minutes later. They then decided to go to the four star restaurant Seiho for some lunch.   
  
  


* * *

 

Today’s special on the Seiho menu was lamb and rosemary pie which both Taiga and Kazunari ordered. For dessert Taiga chose fruit salad while his friend opted for some strawberry ice cream. To drink they both had red wine.

Their servants had been given some time to wander the city, visiting any stores they wanted or complete any personal errands. They would be back in one hour when the two young masters estimated to have finished their lunch. 

“So,” Kazunari began when the waiter arrived at their table with their food, “about this mystery man of yours…”

Taiga nodded in thanks at the waiter who then left to take an order from another table. He grabbed his fork and began to dig into the pie. 

“What about him?” He asked, a smirk tugging at his lips at his friend’s impatience and obvious irritation at his answer. 

“Tell me something about him. Tall, short, eye-color...good kisser?”

“Taller than me, blue eyes... _ great  _ kisser. There.”

“Taigaaa, give me details! You can’t say  _ great kisser  _ and then just leave it at that.”

“I can and I will. I don’t ask you about Shintaro.”

“But I would have told you everything if you asked me!”

“And I would not ask you. It is no business of mine.”

It was entertaining to see the other’s reactions. He knew Kazunari was one who very much liked gossip and at times revealed what was supposed to be kept secret without meaning to. So even if Taiga wanted to tell him about Daiki - to have someone to share the secret with - it was wisest not to. Had his romance been with a noble he might have shared more with him. But alas, it was more complicated than that. 

“Please?”

“No. I won’t tell you anything more about him.”

During the whole lunch Kazunari pried, trying to squeeze out any information about the new love-interest. They talked about other things of course, but every now and then he would attempt at steering the conversation back to Daiki, hoping that Taiga would reveal something. But Taiga was fully aware of that and even the wine wouldn’t be able to make him reveal  _ anything _ . 

The redhead then mentioned his time spent in the kitchen and upon hearing this Kazunari nearly choked on his wine as he was taking a few sips. He coughed - although discreetly as to not bother the other customers enjoying their lunch- and carefully slammed his closed fist against his chest. Once the coughing died down he looked around as if he was afraid someone had heard his friend’s revelation before turning back to Taiga with a scandalized expression on his face. 

“Cooking? Taiga, why would you even think about doing that? It’s a deathtrap!”

Not at all surprised by the reaction Taiga calmly took another bite of his food. He washed it down with some wine, wiping his mouth with a napkin before finally giving the other an answer. 

“I don’t see why it’s so wrong. I just asked Ryou to teach me some basic cooking.”

Kazunari sighed but not without a smile. 

“You have such strange ideas. So, how was it? Did you actually manage to make something?”

Taiga’s smile widened. 

“Yes, actually. After a few tries I made porridge and fried eggs all by myself. Apparently I have talent. Oh and I helped with lunch. Curry stew with rice.”

“And will you do it again?”

“Of course! Cooking is more fun than I thought it would be. Ryou is teaching me to make omelette next.”

“And what did Harasawa have to say about you cooking?”

“He doesn’t know. Neither does Mayuzumi.”

“Oh so it’s a secret. Probably for the best; I don’t think your brother would like that.”

At this Taiga scoffed. 

“No he wouldn’t. Although I am honestly getting tired of him interfering with everything I do. He still treats me like a child and I can barely decide anything for myself anymore. Not even father was this controlling.”

“Well...as an only child I can’t relate but it does sound rather tiresome. But he acts like that because he loves you. You’re all he has left so of course he wants to keep you safe.”

Taiga _ knew _ this. But that didn’t change how he felt. He told himself at that moment that when his brother returned from Seirin he would talk to him, to make his feelings known . And this time he wouldn’t allow his opinions to be rejected. 

After an hour they met up with their servants and visited a few more shops before going home. Taiga bought some candy for the staff back home; toffee, chocolate and some peppermints.

While he missed Daiki’s company he was happy to have spent time with his friend. He would have to write to Alex as well; she didn’t take kindly to be neglected. If he didn’t contact her soon she would come knocking on his door herself. It had happened before.

When he arrived home there was a letter from Seijuuro waiting for him. The trip to Seirin had taken about two days even with the train. Things were going smoothly and everything seemed to be in order. Other than that there was not much else mentioned, just a few lines saying that he missed Taiga and reminded him to behave himself. Taiga rolled his eyes at that particular part and once he had finished reading he threw it away.

He had a light dinner that evening, took a bath and read a few chapters in his new book before getting ready for bed. His night shirt was on and he was just about to get into his bed when he heard something hit the window closest to his balcony. At first he thought little of it but when it continued without stop he frowned and walked up to said window and had a look outside. His eyes widened when he saw Daiki stand on the lawn below, waiting for him to come out. 

Taiga hurriedly opened the glass door next to the window and stepped out on his balcony.

“Daiki, what are you doing?”

Although he couldn’t quite see it in the poor lighting, his question received a smirk.

“Throwing pebbles at your window.” The snide remark caused him to smile as well.

“I can see that, silly. But you shouldn’t be here at this time.”

“I disagree. This is the  _ best  _ time for me to be here. Kagetora is fast asleep due to his fever and everyone else in the mansion is preparing for bed as well. It’s too dark for anyone to spot me here so it’s fine.”

“Kuro is outside my door. He might start barking.”

His arguments were only half hearted. He was just as eager to see Daiki and was certainly not against him being here. It was risky but...if they were careful it would probably be alright.

Daiki had already begun to make his way up to the balcony by climbing the thick vines decorating the wall right next to it. 

“W-what are you doing? You could fall and hurt yourself!” Taiga hissed, trying to be as quiet as possible even though it was difficult when the other did such dangerous things. 

“I’ll be fine. Just wait a little bit.”

He waited. But he couldn’t fully relax. He kept looking behind him as if anyone would walk in; the door was locked so no one actually would, but the situation made him paranoid. What if he’d forgotten to lock it? What if Mayuzumi or Harasawa took a stroll around the place to check on everything.

Once Daiki climbed over the railing he didn’t hesitate for a second to close the remaining distance between the two of them. He grabbed Taiga by the waist and pushed him against the wall, right next to the glass door. The impact wasn’t quite enough to hurt but it did elicit a grunt from Taiga. It was swallowed up however, by Daiki who had already claimed his lips. The noble recovered quickly and returned the kiss with much eagerness. His hands moved to grab hold of Daiki’s clothed back, fingers twisting into the fabric of the cheap shirt.

Red eyes that had fluttered shut slowly opened when the kiss was broken for a moment. Daiki was slightly out of breath as he spoke again his lips.

“I’ve missed you. You were gone long.”

Taiga smiled. 

“Yes I was. Though even if I wasn’t, we wouldn’t be able to see each other anyway.”

Daiki scoffed. But then he realized something that made him frown.

“You never said you missed me back…”

The smile on Taiga’s smile turned into a teasing one.

“And what if I didn’t?”

Blue eyes narrowed at the reply. Daiki’s next his words came out as a low growl.

“Then I’ll make you say it.”

His hand lowered to Taiga’s thigh.

A  _ bare  _ thigh.

Daiki hadn’t noticed it until now but Taiga was wearing nothing else but a white night shirt that ended at his upper thighs and a pair of briefs. The rest of his legs were completely bare. This caused him to pause for a bit, hand experimentally sliding up and down the exposed skin. It felt nice, just like the rest of Taiga’s body.

The redhead shivered, a quiet moan leaving him when the other’s hand moved higher, slipping in beneath the hem of his shirt. It was so close to his most intimate part that by now had begun to harden.

“Taiga...can I touch you?”

“You already are,” Taiga said through his ragged breaths.

“You know what I mean…”

He did.

“Not here. Inside.”

Daiki didn’t need to be told twice. When Taiga took his hand and led him into his room he was more than happy to comply.

“I never showed you my room before, did I?” The noble asked as he closed the door to the balcony. While waiting for Daiki to answer him he went to check the door to his room, making sure it was locked.

“No you didn’t.”

His blue eyes made a quick sweep around the fancy room. The floor was made entirely of carpet, red base with a golden vine and leaf-pattern. The walls were more simple, half wood panel half red wallpaper. There was a fireplace against one end of the room, an armchair in front of the big window on the left side of the balcony, a desk, a few bookshelves standing tall next to the door and a double door closet made of beautifully carved wood. Then his landed on the large bed.

_ Taiga’s bed.  _

There was suddenly growling coming from outside the room. It was Kuro who, at the sound of another voice other than Taiga’s instantly reacted. Rolling his eyes Taiga decided to unlock and open the door and let the dog see Daiki. It wouldn’t be any good if Kuro made noises that woke everyone.

“Hey there, boy,” Daiki whispered and patted the dog on the head. Kuro calmed down and happily accepted the affection. He then lay back down as if nothing had happened.

The door was shut and locked once again. Hopefully there would be no more distractions.

 

* * *

Taiga who had so far managed to control his voice, stopping himself from making any loud noises, suddenly threw his head back with a long moan as Daiki stroke him through his thin underwear. Up until this point he had only ever touched  _ himself _ so to have the other’s hand on him was foreign to him as proven by the reaction of his sensitive body. His back arched, head pressing further into the soft pillow underneath, which resulted in him breaking the intense kiss they’d just shared. 

At the sight of the exposed throat, Daiki’s eyes narrowed and he allowed himself to lean down to trail a line of kisses up the hot skin. He hummed between the soft pecks as he felt Taiga’s arousal harden under his touch. It pleased him immensely that  _ he  _ of all people had such an effect on the young noble.

“D-don’t leave any marks,” Taiga panted into Daiki’s ear and spread his legs farther apart to give his lover better access. 

A hum of agreement was all the answer he was given. 

Daiki then proceeded by slipping his hand underneath the piece of fabric that separated the skin contact that they both craved. And it came as no surprise that Taiga once again made a noise when his heated flesh was caressed directly by Daiki’s hand. 

The pads of Daiki’s fingers were slightly rough, the result of a labor-filled life, and felt so good against him that Taiga didn’t know what to do with himself. His whole body shook and the pounding of his heart had reached his ears.

“Taiga…” Daiki bit out through his clenched teeth. It was getting more and more difficult to control himself. He was just as hard and excited as the other and simply watching Taiga’s reactions was almost enough to bring him to release.“Y-you have to keep it down.”

Taiga nodded and bit his lower lip. He lifted his arms to wind them around Daiki’s neck, needing something to hold onto. 

“You’re dripping,” Daiki muttered. His hand was slowly working Taiga’s erection from shaft to tip and when he reached the latter on the third stroke he’d felt the moisture leaking out. With the pad of his thumb he smeared the essence around the tip, enjoying the sound it earned him.

“Daiki...please.” Taiga didn’t know what else to say. He would probably be unable to say anything else if he tried to. The heat and pressure in his lower regions was driving him crazy and he needed release. He thought he was going to get what he wanted right then and there but then Daiki sudden removed his hand and pulled back. A little whine escaped him and later he would deny it. He gave the other a questioning look and was further surprised when Daiki grabbed him and pulled him up to straddle his lap. 

They were now seated in the middle of the bed; Taiga’s arms once again settled around Daiki’s neck  and he boldly scooted closer to grind his hard flesh against him. He could feel that the other was just as excited and eager as him which spurred his confidence.

What did bother him though was the fact that Daiki still had his underwear on. None of them had taken off everything, both still wearing shirts. 

With much determination he took hold of the hem and best as he could despite their position pulled the garment down Daiki’s hips. They didn’t come off completely, just enough to let the erection spring free.

“Big…” Taiga commented under his ragged breath and rolled his hips, eliciting a groan from both of them. Then he suddenly put his hands on Daiki’s chest and gently pushed him away but only a short distance. Very short.

“Daiki, I think I'm ready.  I want...to make love with you.”

They had discussed the matter two days prior and while Daiki was not a virgin, Taiga was and had claimed that he needed time before being ready for sex. But what he felt now made him realize that he  _ was  _ ready, as long as Daiki was careful with him. He had no experience and was unsure of how it even worked but...he knew that he could trust the other.

“A-are you sure?” Daiki asked shakily and swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He hadn’t expected Taiga to bring it up again so soon. When he said he needed time he’d counted on weeks. But with Seijuuro gone and Kagetora sick this was the best opportunity they’d probably have.

Taiga nodded and with determination in his eyes laid down and pulled Daiki with him.

“But you have to promise me that you’ll be gentle.”

With a soft smile Daiki gave him a kiss.

“I promise.”

 

Their first night together.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAH! I won't write their first time together simply because I don't have the skill nor ability to. There will be smut later on but writing about Taiga losing his virginity, having to write all the steps and blah blah will be too difficult so i'm only mentioning it here. Anyway, see you next time!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I managed to finish this chapter in time. University is gonna be busy now before christmas plus some real life/social life things so there won't be guaranteed weekly updates for a while. I will still write when I can and I'm going back to write on the older fics that I have as well.
> 
> As always, thank you for your support! <3 comments, kudos or simply just liking what I write means a lot :D

 

“You seem to be in a very good mood today, Taiga-sama,” Mayuzmi pointed out during breakfast the next morning. Taiga was sitting outside on the terrace and was just about to put a strawberry in his mouth when the servant spoke, causing him to pause. Mayuzumi was right of course; Taiga had slept very well that night- although a bit sore- and the rush from his night with Daiki still remained.

He’d been smiling and humming to himself all morning. When he got out of bed and walked to the bathroom he had limped slightly and there was a lingering pain in his hips. But somehow, to him it hurt in a _good_  way.

Daiki had been fantastic with him, taking it slow and as gently as he could despite his eagerness to take Taiga completely with all he had. He’d gone through every step and always stopping to make sure that Taiga was fine. What had surprised them both, however, was Taiga’s change in attitude. First he’d been nervous due to his inexperience but as they’d progressed and he grew used to the feeling-and pain- of Daiki inside him he’d started to enjoy it, turning into a lustful... _fiend_ with great endurance and apparently pain tolerance. Not the usual reaction from a virgin on their first time but Daiki certainly hadn’t minded at all.

Recovering from his surprise at Mayuzumi’s sudden remark, he shrugged.

“I suppose I am. It is a beautiful day, after all.”

“Yes indeed…” the servant replied but didn’t look all that convinced. With a slight frown he watched the young master, taking in the small smile that still hadn’t disappeared from his lips. Was all of this just due to a beautiful morning? He thought not. But for now he wouldn’t pry any further and let the other enjoy his breakfast. He would, however, keep a closer eye on him just to make sure everything was as it should be. Seijuuro had asked him to look after Taiga, after all.

“What news from your brother? You read his letter, did you not?”

“I did, although there is not much to tell. Everything seems to be just fine.”

“I see. Well, that is good news. I am sure he misses you dearly.”

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He liked to converse with the servants, but Mayuzumi was an exception. The man was so dull,  inexpressive and his ability to make small talk was pretty much non existent.  

Taiga was almost finished and when he drank from his tea spotted blue in the corner of his eye. Due to Mayuzumi’s presence, he made sure not to react and slowly set down his cup. He glanced to his right and tried to prevent his smile from widening when Daiki peeked up from behind a rose bush, a few leaves stuck in his hair, and motioned with his head to the side as a way to communicate. His message was understood; he wanted Taiga to meet him there as soon as possible.

Stifling a laugh, Taiga turned to the servant at his side.

“Mayuzumi-san, could you please go and get me the newspaper?”

The slightest change of the man’s expression could be seen; a look of surprise.

“Oh certainly. I am so very sorry that I did not bring it before your arrival.”

“Please do not worry about that. I do not blame you as i rarely read it.”

“I will get it immediately, Taiga-sama.”

And with that he hurried into the manor to complete his task. Taiga waited for a short moment and when the coast seemed to be clear he quickly stood up, jumped down from the porch and ran up to the rose bush where Daiki was waiting.

“Took you long enough,” the bluenette teased with a smirk.

“Oh hush. I had to get rid of him first.”

Daiki hummed and grabbed Taiga by the waist, pulling him in for a kiss.  

“Daiki…wait, someone might see us,” Taiga said through a fit of chuckles when Daiki began to nibble on his earlobe. The only response he received in return was a hum and then he was suddenly pulled along down to the ground until they were both lying in the grass. With a startled gasp he landed on top of a smirking Daiki whose eyes gleamed with mischief as they stared up at him.

Taiga tried to look stern, eyes narrowed, but it didn’t take long until his resolve crumbled and his lips cracked up in a bright, teeth-revealing smile. Without further thought he leaned down and kissed the other. A muffled sound of encouragement left him when he felt two hands take hold of his sides.

“Taiga-sama!”

It was Mayuzumi’s voice.

Instantly Taiga broke away from Daiki’s lips and with wide eyes scanned the surroundings. He didn’t spot the servant anywhere and words could not describe the relief he felt. His attention was then returned to his lover who scoffed below him.

“He’s back already huh…”

“Daiki I have to go.”

Daiki folded his arms around his waist and held him tight.

“No.”

“But-“

“Just stay still and be quiet.”

The young noble wanted to protest and he was just about to demand the other to let him go when Mayuzumi’s voice once again called him and this time seemed to be even closer.

“Taiga-sama!”

They both heard footsteps in the grass and when the servant for a third time called for the young master it was clear that he was just above them, standing on the other side of the rosebush.

Their hearts hammered wildly as neither of them moved a muscle, not even daring to breathe. Taiga raised his eyes and through the bushes could make out the shiny black from Mayazumi’s shoes. All it would take for the servant to notice them was to peer over the bush.

While the moment only lasted for a short moment it felt like an eternity for the two youngsters. When Mayuzumi finally left, walking farther into the garden, they both breathed out in relief.

That had been close. They glanced at each other and broke out into a hushed fit of laughter

“I almost wet my pants,” Daiki admitted with a snigger and slowly loosened his grip around Taiga’s waist. They sat up and stayed silent for a while with their hands linked.

“How are you feeling today?” Daiki then spoke up and turned to look at him. Taiga knew what he was referring to and scooted closer as he gave his answer.

“I feel  _great._ ”

A sly smirk widened his lips and he moved to straddle Daiki’s thighs. He saw the way those blue eyes widened and leaned down to his exposed throat.

“I really enjoyed last night. You felt so good…”

Heart skipping a beat Daiki slowly lifted his arms to wind them around the redhead’s waist.

“S-so I didn’t hurt you too much?”

“No…” Taiga said between kisses. But then he stilled as a thought hit him. Hesitating only for a short moment he asked, “Daiki, what do you think about...lingerie?”

Not having expected such a question Daiki quirked a curious brow. “I like it. Why?”

He felt how Taiga’s lips widened in a smile against his collarbone.

“I bought some in Rakuzan yesterday.”

The bluenette stilled and he wasn’t given any time to respond as his lover continued, the words whispered seductively into his ear.

“I’ll wear it for you tonight.”  

Taiga enjoyed the shiver it elicited from the other boy.

“W-when?” There was no hiding the excitement and eagerness in Daiki’s voice. In fact, Taiga could feel how the other boy’s arousal swelled up against him. The feeling was mutual, he couldn’t wait either.

“Midnight.”

A few minutes later Taiga reluctantly went back to the porch, casting one last glance of longing at his lover who returned it fully. Daiki knew he should get back to work but...there was a problem he had to take care of first. His eyes lowered to his pants and the evident tent in them that had formed during the intimacy with the other.

Taiga in lingerie. He was very much looking forward to it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I finally took the time to write the next chapter. So Chapter 12 is already done and I've started on chapter 11 (weird order, i know)
> 
> OBS!!!! Some Smut ahead! I'm still a noob when it comes to writing smut so bear with me! Hopefully I'll get better as i continue to write. Practice makes perfect! And Thank you for the support, your comments, kudos and just overall support means a lot! <3 <3

 

 

When midnight finally made itself known Daiki didn’t waste any time and after a quick visit to Kagetora made his way to the mansion. He had waited,  _ endured,  _ the whole day and only thinking about Taiga. The promise of the red-haired noble wearing lingerie for him was something he hadn’t been able to get out of his mind. Although, his work had distracted him somewhat and made time seem like it was actually passing. And now midnight was here.

It was always a risky business to cross the plain lawns that did not offer any cover; and furthermore, the summer nights never got truly dark which opted for even more caution. But once he got to the garden it was easier and he allowed himself to feel relief for a moment.

Stopping behind a bush Daiki made a quick scan of his surroundings, making sure that the coast was clear before hurriedly running up towards the balcony to Taiga’s room. He looked up and saw the light in the big window and smiled.

“Here goes…” he whispered to himself and took a steady hold of one of the vines, starting the climb.

Once he got up and climbed over the railing Taiga wasn’t there waiting for him. The glass door to his room was open, however, and after only a short moment of hesitation Daiki decided to invite himself in. He carefully closed the door behind him as he entered and one of his brows quirked questioningly when he still didn’t find his lover.

_ Lover. _

He was still not used to referring to them as such. A part of him was still hesitant to believe that all of this was real.

“Taiga?” He asked out loud and went farther into the room. He heard some rustling from the bathroom which instantly caught his attention. Before he could react further though Taiga’s voice answered him.

“I will be out in a short moment. Make yourself comfortable meanwhile.”

Not one to argue Daiki shrugged and made himself seated on the bed. It was so soft and, in his opinion, ridiculously big for one person. Although he certainly wasn’t complaining about its size now when there were two of them. Taiga’s bed was great for lovemaking. The more he thought about it the faster his heartbeat became.

The time that passed before Taiga came out of the bathroom wasn’t long but to Daiki it felt like hours. When he heard the door open he swallowed and slowly looked up. In the doorway stood Taiga wearing a white nightshirt that was closed only by the two middle buttons which gave a nice view of his chest at the top and thighs at the bottom. His black underwear ended at his upper thighs and down from there came the interesting part.

First, Daiki’s eyes met the black and red garter sitting snugly around Taiga’s right thigh. It was a pretty little thing made of expensive-looking velvet surrounded by ruffled lace. The mere sight of it against Taiga’s skin made his heart flutter and he already felt a strong urge to touch. But he knew he had to control himself and let his eyes lower further to take in the over-knee stockings. Again, red and black… and incredibly arousing. Looking at the different parts individually was nice but when Daiki zoned out to see all of Taiga in the complete outfit it felt as though his heart would burst.

“D-do you like it?” Taiga asked with a light blush on his face. He was avoiding eye contact, a bit embarrassed about wearing such an attire and not confident that they suited his body, and the complete silence was only adding to his insecurity. Had he looked Daiki in the eyes during that time though he would not have had to ask for his opinion. It was very clear that Daiki liked it. 

Remembering that he had been asked a question the bluenette shook his head and replied dumbly.

“Y-yes...it suits you very well. Y-you look great.”

Great? He looked more than great. That wasn’t the word he wanted to use and the fact made him want to kick himself. He opened his mouth to correct his mistake but snapped his mouth shut when Taiga began to walk towards him with a small smile. Even if Daiki’s response and choice of words might have been on the weaker side, his expression showed otherwise. Taiga could see how the sight of him affected his lover and felt relieved. It also lifted his confidence considerably, making him more daring and eager. And he was hit by a sudden desire to tease his lover a bit.

He stopped in front of Daiki’s seated form and with a coy smile ran a hand up one of his own thighs.

“Do you want to touch me, Daiki?”

His fingers stopped at the garter and slowly caressed the soft, red velvet band.

“Yes,” the servant replied eagerly, not even a second of hesitation, and reached out with his hands. His brows quirked in confusion when Taiga backed out of his reach. The smile that still remained on the redhead’s lips widened at the lost look.

“I did not give you permission though,” he said smugly. His insecurities were as blown away and now replaced with smug confidence. After witnessing Daiki’s reaction, he could now understand Takao’s view on lingerie and made a mental note to thank him in the future.

Daiki made a weak, displeased sound and slowly retreated his twitching hands. He had no choice but to obey, he knew that. Taiga was his master and he couldn’t be careless with him. If he stepped out of line things could end up badly.

“Lay down,” Taiga told him and Daiki complied. He laid himself down in the middle of the bed and waited for further instructions. Though he kept his eyes on the noble the whole time, enjoying the sight of him in his new attire. The stockings outlined Taiga’s calves very nicely, he noted.  

He was surprised when Taiga suddenly got on the bed and slowly crawled up to him on all fours before settling down to straddle his hips.

“Wha-”

“Look but don’t touch, understand?”

Blue eyes settled on the garter around Taiga’s thigh, it was so close now, before with a quiet whine Daiki threw his head back to land on the soft pillow behind him. There was frustration evident on his face and Taiga couldn’t help but find it amusing.

“Don’t worry, if you’re good I will let you touch as much as you want,” he purred and began to undo Daiki’s shirt. Once all the buttons were undone he began to touch the servant’s chest lovingly, red eyes falling halfway. Daiki truly was beautiful and when he told the other so, a blush instantly crossed the servant boy’s cheeks. It wasn’t often that people called him beautiful. Especially not people of Taiga’s status. He looked like he wanted to protest but didn’t get the chance to when Taiga suddenly bent down to drag his lips over one of his nipples. A strangled groan escaped him and when he suddenly felt a tongue peak out against the small bud his eyes snapped shut.

Taiga circled it with his tongue a few times before taking it between his teeth. He gave it a soft tug, feeling himself harden in his underwear at the reaction it earned him. After giving the same treatment to the other nipple he then slowly began to kiss his way upwards until he reached Daiki’s lips which he was quick to devour. Daiki responded instantly, returning the kiss with much fervor. He moaned against the noble’s soft lips, enjoying the feeling and taste of them...but to not be able to touch was maddening. It took all of his control to keep his hands to himself.

Their lips parted against each other, allowing their tongues to meet and taste. During their intense lip-lock Taiga began to move his hips against his lover’s, causing a hot friction between them. Both of them were already hard; Daiki having been so ever since Taiga revleaved himself in his lingerie.

“Daiki,” the noble panted against his lips and lifted himself slightly to allow his hand to reach the bulge in the servant’s pants, “you’re so excited.”  Despite him being slightly out of breath there was a hint of teasing in his voice. He added some more pressure with his hand experimentally and enjoyed the way Daiki writhed under him.

Slowly opening his eyes Daiki shot him a weak glare.  

“So are you,” he gritted out and bucked his hips further into the other’s hand.

Taiga hummed in agreement before closing the gap and initiating another kiss. For a while the room was filled with the wet sounds of their mouths on each other, the rustling of clothes and their muffled sounds of pleasure.

“Take off your clothes,” Taiga ordered eventually and Daiki was quick to comply. While he was definitely enjoying himself he was getting impatient and wanted to touch his lover already.

Taiga helped him undress until he was completely bare and let his red eyes take in the delicious sight. They stayed on the hard arousal between those tanned thighs a bit longer before rising to meet blue.

Lips stretching out into a smile Taiga once again bent down and kissed Daiki’s neck. He then took the servant’s hands into his own and guided them to his hips, making sure they stayed there when he let go.

“You have permission to touch.”

_ Finally _

Daiki smiled and made himself comfortable before slowly moving his hands downwards to feel Taiga’s thighs. His right hand stopped at the garter and began to play with the black lace, the soft material feeling nice against his fingers.

“You really like teasing me, don’t you?” he said thoughtfully while inspecting the piece of cloth. The chuckle he received in return made him look up and his smile widened at the amused eyes he was met with.

Taiga chuckled before answering with a sly, “only a little.”

Daiki hummed and left the garter. His hands then reached the stockings and felt the black satin bows at the top of them.

_ Cute _

He went back to stroke the other’s thighs a bit- he was aware of how much Taiga enjoyed that- before moving around the waist and taking hold of Taiga’s firm behind. He kneaded the cloth-covered globes, enjoying the soft moan it brought him. His hands dipped in below the hem of the nightshirt until he could feel the hot skin of Taiga’s lower back.

As he did, Taiga undid the two buttons of his nightshirt so that it fell open. Then he shrugged it off his shoulders and threw it to the floor. At the sight of his exposed chest and abdomen Daiki purred and felt his smirk widen. And then he surprised the red-haired noble by quickly switching their positions so that he was on top. Taiga lying underneath him was a very welcoming sight.

He then proceeded by taking off Taiga’s underwear. The garter and stockings were staying on him though, no question about that. He kissed his way up the other’s legs until he reached the upper thigh of one of them. He dragged his lips up and down the soft skin as well planting soft kisses there.

“Mmm…” Taiga purred and glanced up at him with his red eyes that were clouded with lust and want. It looked as if he was ready to move on and feeling his impatience grow Daiki asked for permission do so. It was granted and he grabbed one of the big pillows at the head of the bed, fluffed it up before propping it under Taiga’s lower back so that his hips were raised for better access as well as comfort.

A jar of body lotion was standing on one of the nightstands. Daiki had not noticed it before and he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of it. Taiga sure had prepared for tonight.

He reached out and opened the jar, dipping two fingers into it and scooping up a good amount of the thick, white substance. And just like their first time he was careful and made sure to prepare Taiga properly.

Once it was done Taiga lifted his legs and locked them around Daiki’s waist. The bluenette smiled and scooted closer.

“Are you ready?” He asked softly and received a nod in return. Bracing himself, Taiga fisted his hands into the sheet below him and pushed the back of his head further into the pillow. But he kept his eyes locked with Daiki’s as it kept him at ease. And he trusted the other completely, knowing that he would be careful and gentle with him. And last time he’d gotten used to the pain rather quickly. Daiki remembered that too and wondered if he’d see the same sudden change in his lover once the pleasure took over. He hoped so.

Daiki took it slow as he entered him, a little at a time until he was fully sheathed and their hips lay flush against each other. Taiga winced and made an expression that showed a slight discomfort. Upon seeing this Daiki bent down and nuzzled his neck.

“You alright?”

“Y-yes,” Taiga answered and moved his hips in order to adjust. He then nodded towards the other in a permission to move. His hands that held the sheets loosened and instead he brought them up to take hold of Daiki’s face, pulling him in for a kiss while said bluenette pulled out before thrusting into him.

“Mmf!” He groaned into the kiss at the first stab, his legs quivering and back tensing.

They kept the slow pace for a while until Taiga felt himself used to it and began to ask for more.

“Daiki,” he bit out and raised his hips slightly, “faster…”

“A-alright...” he grit out as he moved faster and rammed into the trembling redhead below.

“Ahhn! Y-yes...like that!” Taiga moaned eagerly, his legs tightening around Daiki’s waist and bucking his hips up to meet the frantic thrusts. He was holding onto his lover’s shoulders for support and when he felt his prostate being rubbed he couldn’t control his body as it jerked violently and his nails dug into the darker skin. Too lost in his own pleasure Daiki didn’t notice. His hands lay fisted on either side of Taiga’s sides, fingers twisting hard into the sheets. He grunted as the tight, soft walls clamped around him and threw his head back.

“You feel so good, Taiga…”

“Mmm...y-you too! So big and…ah!”

Oh god he was so beautiful.

As they kept going one of Taiga’s hands left Daiki’s back and he trailed it down his own body until he found his leaking erection. He began to stroke himself as his sweet spot was hit repeatedly, all the sensations driving him near the edge. He would probably not last much longer. The only thing that bothered him was the fact that he had to hold back as to not be too loud and waking someone up by accident.

A moment later he reached his climax, Daiki following shortly after.

They laid together in a comfortable silence afterwards, just looking at each other and enjoying the comfortable warmth. Taiga ran his hand through Daiki’s hair and smiled at the purr-like sound it earned him. He scooted closer and nuzzled the bluenette’s neck.

“You were great,” he muttered.

Daiki chuckled.

“ _ You  _ were great. Are you sure you haven’t been deceiving me about you being virgin until last night?”

The remark earned him a playful slap to the shoulder along with a scoff.

“Stop it.”

But despite that Taiga couldn’t help but smile.

Eventually came the time to part, Taiga noted as he looked at the time.

“Meet me in the greenhouse tomorrow at one o’clock.” He whispered into Daiki’s ear a few minutes later before letting go. His lover nodded before giving his lips one last slow kiss. It was late and as regrettable as it was, he had to leave. He was getting up early in the morning and needed some sleep. If only he could sleep with Taiga for the night. The fact that he couldn't brought out a sigh from him to which the red-haired youth raised an eyebrow.

“What is it?”

“Ah nothing.”

After quickly getting dressed Daiki made it out to the balcony.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Yes. Good night, Daiki.”

“Good night.”

Taiga followed him and watched as he climbed down. Before the bluenette left he looked up and gave the noble a last goodbye in the form of a wave. Then he took off and it wasn’t until he was completely out of sight that Taiga went back inside. He was smiling and couldn’t seem to stop, not even when he attempted to fall asleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how you other authors do it but kudos to you! This chapter stole the energy out of me xD  
> *dead*


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty another chapter. As always thank you for the support! <3

 

The next morning after breakfast Taiga received a call from Alex. The woman was slightly annoyed at him for not talking to her at all since his birthday celebration and had invited herself over to stay for two days. She was to arrive at the Akashi estate sometime around lunch and clearly stated that they were to eat together. 

“I will not take any excuses, Taiga, is that clear?” She had said and the young Akashi knew that nothing he said could keep her away. Though it was not that he minded her visiting at all. In fact, he welcomed it and even if only a short time had passed since their last meeting, he missed her. It would be nice to spend time with a friend. The only thing he was hesitant about was the duration of her stay. Being with Daiki would be considerably more difficult, especially at night. Sometimes Alex snuck into his room and in the morning he would wake up to the sight of her next to him. When he’d asked her about it once she’d responded that it was a maternal instinct, whatever that meant. 

So there would be no secret meeting in his room tonight. The realization of it lowered his mood somewhat. 

After breakfast he decided to paint for a while. He had started on a new painting the other day and with everything that had happened lately with Daiki he had so much inspiration. Especially with the color blue. His newest project presented a big green field filled with red and blue flowers. Above it was a blue summer sky accompanied by the sun and a few white clouds. It was quite the masterpiece, if he did say so himself, but not yet finished. Once he completed it he wanted to show it to Daiki if the opportunity arose. 

_ I want to paint him _

He paused with the brush and thoughtfully glanced around the room. When he started to use it as a painting studio he didn’t furnish it with much. Apart from the tables and pedestals to put his works on, the only other real furniture in there was a white loveseat-couch standing against the opposite wall. 

His artistic side made him imagine a setup for a portrait; Daiki’s position, the colors, decorations, light and other details. The white padding of the couch would be a nice contrast to Daiki’s tan skin and dark blue hair, he noted and bit down on his paintbrush in thought. 

Daiki’s skin… 

A naked portrait. 

The thought made him blush but he smiled. Perhaps they could manage to find time for it if Daiki was willing. During night time would be safest and the activity was a silent one; having sex was riskier than that and they’d done it twice. 

“Not completely naked though...perhaps a blanket for cover. A red one.” he mumbled to himself, his current painting in progress forgotten. 

He would ask Daiki about the portrait later when they met. 

A couple of hours later Alex arrived. None of the servants had even had the time to inform Taiga of it before she burst in through the entrance door. The heels of her black lace-up boots were loud as she ran over the marble floor with eager steps. 

“Taiga! Where is my angel?”

Her green eyes narrowed and she pouted as she came to a stop in the middle of the big hall. She was not pleased with the lack of reception from her dear redhead. 

“I told him I would be here around this time…”

Harasawa who was standing behind her was just about to speak up when another voice answered from one of the stairs. 

“I am here, Alex. Sorry, I was tidying up in my painting room and just now realized what time it was.”

The moment he got off the last step Alex ran up and pulled him into a tight hug. 

“Hello sweetie! I knew you weren’t cold enough to ignore me!” 

She let him go, distancing herself slightly before adding with a thoughtful pout, “ although I had hoped you would greet me by the door. You used to be so happy whenever I visited when you were younger. Oh you were so adorable!”

“Tsk...please don’t remind me of that.” 

When he was a child Taiga used to follow her around all time, clinging to her and then crying whenever she had to go home. The memories of behaving in such a manner were something he’d rather be without.   

“Aw are you embarrassed? Don’t be. Like I said, it was adorable.”

She kissed him on the cheek, not letting him argue, before hooking one of her arms around one of his. They walked outside to the terrace where a table had been set up for lunch. 

“Taiga, have you hurt yourself recently?” She suddenly asked, confusing the young redhead. His brows furrowed into a frown of question. 

“No. Why?”

“Well, you seem to be limping slightly.”

_ Oh.  _

He quickly looked to the side to hide the slight blush that broke out on his face. He had to find an excuse, something believable. Telling the truth was definitely not an option. Even if it was Alex, his relationship with the blue-haired servant had to remain a secret no matter what. 

“I was out riding Shiro the other day and got a bit carried away…”

Alex sighed.

“That is just like you. I will not comment on that except that you are too careless. But that will hardly make a difference.”

He offered her a sheepish smile and the subject was dropped. 

When they took a seat next to each other at the table Mayuzumi informed them that the food would arrive shortly. He had brought some tea for them to enjoy while they waited to which Taiga replied with a quick thank you and Alex opted for a nod. She didn’t want to speak to the stoic servant more than necessary. She’d never liked him.

When the cups of tea were set down Alex reached out to grab one and took a sip. 

“So, what have you been up to since last time? I want to hear everything,” she then said with much enthusiasm and Taiga could not help but roll his eyes. Why was it that the few people closest to him were such lovers of gossip? 

Just like with Kazunari, he could not tell her about Daiki. Even though he trusted her, always telling her his true feelings, it still was too risky. His relationship with the dog caretaker was something no one but them could know about. But he had to tell her something because otherwise there would be no end to it; Alex would not be satisfied without an answer. 

“The usual. I have begun to read one of the books you gave me.”

“Oh lovely! Do you like it?”

“Yes, very much. I could hardly put it away the first few days and am nearly at the end now.”

She nodded, looking very pleased with herself. 

“I still seem to have the ability to know exactly what you like.” She had some more tea before continuing, “And what else? Have you only stayed here by yourself?”

“Well, I have had much inspiration the past week and started on some new paintings. Also, I went to Rakuzan with Kazunari the other day as well. It was nice; we had lunch at Seiho and visited a few shops.”

“Did you buy anything nice?”

He knew he should have been prepared for the question but when he received it he tensed for a short moment. Hopefully Alex had not caught it but it seemed to be wishful thinking for she narrowed her green eyes in suspicion and set her teacup down on the table. 

“Well?”

“I-I bought some medicine for Kagetora. He has been ill for the past few days. We also visited the bookshop…”

Alex leaned closer with her expression turning stern. 

“Did you buy something that you do not want me to know about?” 

“No...well, I mean...” He hated this. This woman could always tell when he was lying, reading him like an open book. And he knew she would not stop prying until she figured out what it was. 

So he tried to save the situation.    


“I bought a new cookbook for Sakurai. It was a new edition and quite expensive so I do not want to mention it to more people than I need to. Sei might find out so I want to keep it as discreet as I can.”

It wasn’t a lie and buying something that expensive for a servant could very well pass for something to be secretive about. Especially since Seijuuro was so against gifts for servants. Now Taiga  just hoped it was believable enough of excuse for his reaction.

It seemed to have worked. Alex leaned back in her seat with an understanding hum but her face clearly showed her disappointment. No doubt had she wished for something more exciting. Like...lingerie. That would surely be a treat for her to hear about. 

“I can not understand your brother’s indifference towards the servants. The people here are lovely and deserve some appreciation.”

Taiga nodded. 

“Yes. They work so hard even though they are only taking care of two people. Really, there is no need for that much time and effort. If I could I would give them more free time to relax and meet their families. Once a month is not enough in my opinion. But…”

“Seijuuro.”

“Yes.”

Alex shook her head with a sigh. 

“Really, that boy is much too uptight. And I don’t like the way he restricts you.”

This was something they had discussed several times in the past. Whenever Taiga needed to rid himself of frustration caused by Seijuuro, he would call Alex and confide with her. And the woman had tried to speak with the oldest Akashi in hope of convincing him to give Taiga freer reigns. But it had been a useless attempt. 

_ “I know what is best for him,”  _ was the final response she had been given. 

She did not like it. Taiga and Seijuuro’s father had been strict and protective but he had never kept his sons under such tight surveillance as Seijuuro was currently doing with the younger. It wasn’t healthy. 

“Taiga,” she began and her expression turned serious,”if you feel lonely you can come visit me anytime. You are always welcome there and you can stay for as long as you like. To be stuck in this big house all by yourself is not good for you, I’m sure. And I can imagine it is even more difficult for you now with your father’s passing.”

He smiled warmly at her. It felt nice to have someone care for him so much. He would probably accept her offer if it wasn’t for Daiki. He didn’t feel as lonely anymore. 

“Thank you, Alex, but I am fine. I spend time with the servants when I can. Oh that reminds me; I have been helping Sakurai in the kitchen a few times. He has taught me a little about cooking...I even helped him make lunch for everyone.”

Her response was more optimistic than Kazunari’s. Alex had belonged to the middle class before meeting her husband and thus married herself into nobility. Most middle class families these days could afford a cook but it wasn’t uncommon to assist in the kitchen as a master of the household. Because of this her attitude towards Taiga’s time spent in the kitchen was a positive one. 

“I think it is good to learn skills that contributes to one’s independence. Few grown up nobles even know how to tie their shoes by themselves. It’s ridiculous. Also, I am glad that you have found something more you enjoy to do. Will you cook for me sometime?”

“Of course.”

The food arrived a short moment later. Today’s lunch consisted of pancakes and waffles accompanied with whipped cream, different kinds of jam and a big silver plate filled with fresh fruit. Taiga had requested the dish specifically since he knew it was the favorite food of his guest. When Alex saw the perfect, golden pancakes and waffles her eyes lit up like those of a child. But then again, she had always had a childish side to her that never quite passed with age. Though Taiga liked that about her. In his opinion it was better than those stuck up grownups who never smiled and only ever talked about their own wealth and accomplishments. 

After lunch Alex had to make a quick phone call and since the time was nearing one o’clock, Taiga took that as his opportunity to sneak out for his meeting with Daiki in the greenhouse. Last night when telling his lover the time for their meet up he hadn’t known about his guest visiting. They had to cut it short because no doubt would Alex come looking for him once she was done talking on the phone. 

He looked behind himself several times during his walk through the garden. He hadn’t spotted Mayuzumi yet as the servant was bringing the dishes from lunch back to the kitchen for cleaning. Mibuchi was on his break so the chance of any servant spotting him was low. 

Daiki was already there when he entered and immediately pulled him in for a kiss. Taiga gladly returned it and wrapped his arms around his lover’s shoulders. Without parting they slowly walked farther inside and soon a grunt puffed against his lips when the bluenette’s back collided with one of the shelves. One of the potted plants it held fell to the floor with a crash. But the noise fell on deaf ears as the youngsters were too absorbed by each other.    


“I heard you have a guest staying,” Daiki muttered once they pulled away, although they were still holding each other. 

With a small sigh Taiga nodded and placed his forehead on one of Daiki’s shoulders. 

“With Alex here we can’t meet up at night and she will undoubtedly keep me busy during the day,” he mumbled against the other’s grey shirt. When Daiki hummed in agreement, although with a hint of annoyance that they wouldn’t be able to meet that night, he continued. 

“So I thought you could take tomorrow off and go visit your family. I’m sure they miss you.” 

He took his head away from Daiki’s shoulder and looked at him seriously, having expected the surprised look he was met with. 

“A day off just like that? What about Kagetora? He is still not well and will probably not be able to work tomorrow.”

“The most important thing is to keep the dogs fed and walked. I am sure we will manage somehow. Family is important.”

“Oh? When you say  _ we,  _ does that include you as well? Are you going to help the others with the dogs?” Daiki leaned in teasingly, the thought of Taiga taking care of so many dogs amusing to him. Even if he had befriended Kuro now he still had not gotten over his general fear of dogs. Least of all hunting dogs. 

“Hmph. I will find a way. Kosuke and Nebuya can help. Or better yet, Mayuzumi.”

At the last part Daiki couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“I see. Though are you sure the others won’t mind? I’m sure they want to see their families as well. I don’t want them to think I’m getting special treatment.”

“Some of them don’t have families and the ones that do are given a free day each month to visit them. We will tell them that yours is tomorrow.”

“Well, I will visit them then. Thank you.”

Taiga smiled. 

“I wish we could see each other tonight though…” he mumbled and began to place soft kisses to Daiki’s throat. 

“I want to feel you again.” 

His smile turned into a sly smirk when he felt the other gulp under his lips and added in a whisper, “ _...inside me. _ ”

Daiki released a breathy groan as those words stirred certain memories and thoughts in him. His hands traveled down Taiga’s body until they settled on his buttocks and gave them a squeeze. 

“In here?”

“Mmm...yes,” Taiga breathed out and felt his face heat up in a blush. He leaned into Daiki’s chest as the other’s hands began to massage his behind.

They were just about to kiss again when a voice spoke up behind them. 

“This is rather shocking, I must say.”

As if burned Taiga tore himself away from Daiki a good distance and turned with wide eyes of pure horror to be met by Alex. She was standing by the entrance with her arms crossed and a smug look on her face. 

“Oh please don’t stop on my account.”

When neither of them said anything she closed the door behind her and then began to approach them, smirk still in place.

“So this is where you sneaked off to.”

“A-alex! This is not-”

“Not what it looks like? From what I have heard and seen so far I think it is.”

Quickly Taiga moved and met her half way. He took her hands into his own and gave her a pleading look.

“You can’t tell Sei about this. Please, don’t tell  _ anyone. _ Not even Kazunari or Tatsuya can know!”

She looked at him in silence for a moment, a silence that was near deafening to the two youngsters. Daiki didn’t know what to do, currently having an inner case of panic. 

They’d been caught. He did not know this woman and had therefore no idea what she was thinking of the situation. If she was like Seijuuro then he was done for. He cursed himself for being so reckless, Wakamatsu’s warning was coming back to him. And yet...he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. He didn’t regret meeting Taiga or the things they’d done together. 

When Alex suddenly sighed, they both jumped in surprise. 

“Do you think so little of me, Taiga?” She asked seriously and narrowed her green eyes. 

“Well...I mean-”

“Of course I won’t tell anyone.  _ Especially  _ not your brother.”

She knew what the older Akashi had done to that unfortunate servant who’d shown interest in Taiga, but hadn’t told the younger about it. She knew that Taiga would only blame himself and not dare to speak to the other servants again in fear of putting them in danger. And she didn’t want that. 

“You’re not angry?”

“I am not angry...although slightly hurt that you didn’t tell me. But I can understand why; this is not exactly a common situation.”

Daiki breathed out a sigh of relief. 

“But I must say the two of you are so  _ cute  _ together!” And so her attitude completely changed. She rushed up to Daiki and observed him closely, letting her eyes do a long and throughout once-over

“You are very handsome, young man. If I was younger I would have pursued you.”

“Uhm...thank you?”

“Alex!”

She chuckled. 

“I’m just teasing! But Taiga I had no idea you were such a minx. Want to  _ feel him inside you, _ ey?”

Oh god. 

He hadn’t thought that further embarrassment was even possible, but Alex had proved him wrong before and would continue to for a long time. With a groan Taiga covered his face with his hands. 

“Oh but you  _ are  _ treating him well, aren’t you?”

Daiki straightened himself almost like a soldier would in front of a superior. 

“Y-yes, ma’m.”

“Good. Because if you hurt my adorable Taiga then...well, you get the point.”

Daiki swallowed thickly and nodded. Those green eyes of hers were almost as scary as Seijuuro’s.  

“Yes I get it.”

“Although...the situation is quite serious. Taiga, I think we need to have a chat about this. And please, next time don’t meet like this in a greenhouse. Sure many of the plants are tall and good to hide behind...but you can do better than that.”

 

* * *

Since Daiki had work to do, Taiga had to talk with Alex alone about their relationship. His guest ordered for some tea and sweets to be brought to the parlor where they would have their discussion. It was Mayuzumi who served them and once he had done that, Alex shooed him away from where she sat in one of the sofas. 

“You can go now. I wish to speak to Taiga alone. I have some private matters to speak with him about and as a lady I would be embarrassed if any other man should hear.”

Mayuzumi looked hesitant, but obliged her nonetheless. No doubt was he slightly troubled by the idea of private matters concerning women. So with a bow he left and went to attend other errands around the mansion. 

“So,” Alex began and Taiga took a nervous sip from his tea, “how long has this been going on for?”

“Uhm...about a week.”

“I see. And from what I heard the two of you have had sex.”

He nearly choked on his drink as she said it. 

There was no point in hiding or denying it. If he was going to confide with her on the matter he should tell her everything. 

“Yes. Twice.”

“Oh my. You’re finally growing up! And? How was it? Who did what? Oh let me guess... _ he  _ took  _ you _ . Was he a virgin before that? Was he good? Oh please tell me he was gentle with you on your first time.”

“Alex, please!”

“Sorry…” 

He told her about how it all started, the mutual connection he and Daiki had felt between each other, about their first time and secret meetings. And as Alex listened she realized how strongly Taiga felt for the servant boy; she could see it on him and knew that said feelings were returned as well. Before she’d revealed herself to them in the greenhouse she had stood outside to eavesdrop a little. Needless to say, she’d liked what she was hearing and after having the situation explained to her she felt like she had nothing to worry about. 

“Well, you have my support. If you’re happy then I am too. However, what I want to know is what you will do from here. Are you just going to continue meeting up in secret, even when Seijuuro comes back? You know it is a near impossible relationship.”

“Of course I know. That’s why I’ve kept it a secret. And as for our future plans, me and Daiki haven’t discussed it. Right now we’re just trying to enjoy whatever time we can get together and continue to get to know each other. I don’t plan on getting married anytime soon anyway. And sure, we have to be more careful when Seijuuro comes back but he travels a lot. When he is gone we can use that time.”

There was a determination in him that surprised Alex. Taiga was going against his brother and did not care about it, deeming his own feelings more important. It was about time, she thought, but also knew just how intimidating Seijuuro could be and therefore difficult to defy directly. But it was a good start. 

After their chat the two of them went to Taiga’s room. He had accidentally told her about the lingerie and all hell broke loose. She was excited of course but at the same time disappointed about the fact that she had not been the one to be there with him when he bought it. So after having his protests-or refusal- denied he was currently showing her the garter and stockings. He was blushing with much embarrassment as he handed them to him. 

“Oh my,” Alex said excitedly as she inspected the garments,” Kazunari knows what he’s doing. I would probably get you something similar. Oh I bet that Aomine boy nearly had a heart attack when he saw you in them. How about it? Wear them for me so I can see how they look on you?”

“Never!”

Oh well it was worth a try. 

Her eyes then lit up as she was suddenly hit by a thought. 

“Oh! I have a choker that would go nicely with these. I have it with me! Wait here, Taiga,  _ do not  _ move!”

Taiga looked after her with a startled look, dumbstruck at the suddenness of the situation. He did as told and waited in his room and a few minutes later she returned with the object. She held it out in front of him. 

“Well what do you think?”

Taiga looked at it. 

It was a choker necklace made of a wide, black velvet band and a big oval-shaped ruby hanging at the front. It did match the lingerie he had and since last night he’d considered expanding his set with something for his neck. 

“Are you sure you want to give it to me? It looks expensive.”

“Hah! I have heaps of them at home, don’t worry. It will look better on you than me anyway. I  _ want  _ you to have it.”

He hesitated only a short moment before accepting the gift with a nod. He took it into his hand, inspecting it for a bit before putting it with the stockings and garter. 

“Thank you. It’s beautiful,” he told Alex afterwards and she smiled. 

“My pleasure.” 

She then yawned as the tiredness hit her. It was only one hour between Rakuzan and the Akashi estate but she’d woken up early that morning to prepare for the journey. She informed Taiga that she was going to take a nap for an hour or two. On her way out she stopped at the door and turned to him. 

“I will take the guest room that is farther away from yours so you and your darling won’t be disturbed. The two of you will be busy tonight, I’m sure,” she said with a knowing, teasing smirk before leaving the room. She did not wait for Taiga to respond but even if she had, the redhead would be too dumbstruck and embarrassed by her words to utter actual words. It would most likely come out as nonsensical spluttering. 

But despite his current embarrassment Taiga felt relieved. He had found someone other than Daiki to share the secret with. Someone he knew well and could ask for advice. To hide his newly found relationship had been quite a burden and now it felt as if a weight had been lifted. With Alex support and blessing they did not have to stay away from each other at night during her stay. Now he just had to relay that to Daiki somehow. 

 

* * *

“Ahhn!” Taiga moaned and threw his head back as he bounced on Daiki’s naked lap. Up and down, impaling himself on his lover’s hard cock repeatedly. The ruby of his choker swayed heavily back and forth with the frantic movements. He was wearing it with the rest of his lingerie attire and Alex had been right about it being a perfect match. Daiki had noticed the new addition instantly and made sure to let Taiga know how much he liked it on him.   
  


“So good...ahh, Daiki!” Taiga cried out and quickened his pace further to match the other’s thrusts. His red eyes were closed and head tilted back, completely lost in pleasure. 

Hissing out a groan thorough his clenched teeth, Daiki tightened his hold on his lover’s moving hips. They had agreed on no marks but at this point it was inevitable. He was sure that his fingers would leave prints afterwards but Taiga had not commented on it yet.

However…

“T-Taiga...you have to quiet down. Someone might hear.” It was unfortunate, but true. Daiki would love to hear more of Taiga’s moans and screams of pleasure, but it was too risky. At this point he’d wake someone up. Alex, for example. Even if she supported them he wanted to spare the two of them the embarrassment. 

Slowly lowering his gaze but not slowing down, Taiga looked down at him and breathed out a quick “Sorry” before closing his eyes again. He had to bite his lower lip to prevent another loud moan from escaping him. It certainly was not easy to stay quiet when the other made him feel so good.

Daiki let go of Taiga’s hips and moved around to take hold of his buttocks, spreading them apart for even better access. The redhead jerked, the repeated stabs against his sweet spot at the new angle making him see stars. 

“I-I’m close,” he rasped and leaned down to Daiki’s face before adding, “kiss me.” 

It was a good way to silence him, both of them noted and gladly used that to their advantage. 

He broke the kiss when he came, back and head arching and hands tightening their hold on Daiki’s shoulders. His moan was long and choked, his inner walls clamping around Daiki’s hard cock inside him, before it faded into a row of hoarse gasps. 

Daiki paused, utterly aroused by the look on Taiga’s face as he reached his orgasm. His own was nearing as well as he felt the hot tightness around him. It was almost too much. He too came hard not long after, spilling his fluid while still buried inside his lover. A grunt left him when Taiga finally collapsed on top of him, panting hard into his neck. 

He’d been very surprised by Taiga’s initiative to ride him when he came to his room that night. It was a position they until now had yet tried and because of that, he had been hesitant due to the redhead’s inexperience. But Taiga was stubborn and claimed that he could handle it, not afraid of the pain.    


_ “If it gets too painful promise you’ll tell me and I will stop,”  _ was his condition and Taiga had agreed to it. But there had been no need for that; Taiga had been doing just fine and Daiki was completely blown away by his lover’s...natural talent.

“Daiki?”

“Hm?”

Taiga lifted his head from the other’s shoulder to meet his eyes. 

“I want to paint you.”

Daiki liften a brow in question. He had certainly not expected that. That’s not to say he did not like the idea; if Taiga wanted to paint him then he would gladly comply. 

“Oh?”

“Would you agree to that?”

“Yes. Do you have an idea of when?”

His positive response made Taiga’s entire face light up. He’d been nervous about asking and feared rejection as modelling for a painting might not be something that Daiki was comfortable with and not willing to do. So to hear him say yes was a great relief. 

“How about tomorrow night? I will prepare the painting room in the evening and lock it. Then you come here at midnight like usual and we’ll sneak in there.”

“Sounds like a plan.” 

The last minutes of their night together they spent kissing. Wet, loud and deep, just enjoying and tasting each other before withdrawing with an audible smack. It was then time for Daiki to leave and as Taiga watched him climb down the vines he said, “I hope you have a good time with your parents tomorrow. Send them my regards.”

“I will,” came the answer from below. 

Once on the ground Daiki blew Taiga a kiss before silently making his way back towards the kennel. The red-haired noble rolled his eyes at the silly act but could not resist to smile. 

He went to clean himself before going to bed. Before he fell asleep he made a silent wish that his brother stayed away a few more weeks.  

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The secret is out. And it's almost been two weeks; Seijuuro's return is approaching.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 chapters in two weeks? Motivation has been good to me lately. Back to Uni tomorrow but I will try to reinforce the weekly updates. So new chapters every weekend for now and we'll see how it goes. Either Saturdays or Sundays depending on how fast i complete the chapters. 
> 
> A Big Thank You to those who commented and kudo'd the last chapter <3

 

While Daiki was away, it was Nebuya, Wakamatsu and Mayuzumi that were given the task of taking care of the dogs. The latter was not pleased with the arrangement; as Seijuuro’s valet and butler he considered kennel work to be below him and when he’d made that opinion known Taiga ignored it. Kagetora was now well enough to get out of bed but still too weakened to do much physical work. Taiga had tried to convince him to rest some more but the older man was stubborn and did not trust the other three to do a proper job without his guidance. So in the end he served as the instructor who observed the three replacements from a chair. To see the stoic, high and mighty Mayuzumi try to put leashes on the dogs was quite amusing.

Alex and Taiga decided to go for a picnic by the lake for lunch and had kept Ryo company in the kitchen as he made the food. At one point Alex had even decided to help him and took on herself the task of decorating the pastries. Feeling like he also wanted to be of use, as well as take this as an opportunity to learn new things, Taiga asked the cook for something to do and ended up making the sandwiches. It was something he had yet made and was very eager to try. He put cheese, lettuce and roast beef between the slices of bread before cutting them in triangles.

It was an enjoyable moment, the three of them assisting each other and occasionally sharing a laugh as they talked.

When Harasawa walked past the kitchen and was met by the scene he came to an abrupt halt. This was not something he had counted on seeing and he certainly did not like it.

“What is the meaning of this?” He said as he entered the kitchen. His tone was firm and Ryou reacted to it instantly with a startled gasp and watched him with wide eyes.

“Sakurai, why are you letting Taiga-sama and Alexandra-sama use the kitchen? This is-”

“Oh please stop before you choke on your own spit. I decided to help Ryo-chan here with the food for our picnic and Taiga wanted to help as well.”

“Forgive me. But the kitchen is no place for a lady such as yourself and certainly not a place for Taiga-sama. The master would not approve of this.”

Alex rolled her eyes and breathed out a sigh before turning back to put a strawberry on one of the pastries.

“No doubt,” she muttered and Harasawa felt one of his brows twitch in irritation at the nonchalant response. It was a disrespectful towards Seijuuro and as the head butler he could not tolerate that. He opened to his mouth to politely express his disapproval of the situation but Taiga spoke up before he could.

“Harasawa, I know you don’t agree with this situation but you will have to tolerate it. Neither of us are leaving.”

Not one to refuse the young master Harasawa gave in but did not make any effort to hide his displeasure.

“Very well,” he replied and bowed before leaving the room.

They decided on a private picnic, without any servants and just the two of them. That way they would have privacy and be able to talk about everything without having to worry about prying ears and possible later gossip among the staff. Also, it was always nice to get away from being served all the time.

“Here is a perfect spot!” Alex decided when they reached a hill with a nice view of the lake. Taiga nodded in agreement and set the blanket as well as basket down in green grass.  

Once they were comfortable he told her about the portrait he was going to make of Daiki and as expected she reacted with much excitement. Though according to her, a blanket to cover Daiki’s private parts was unnecessary.

“If it was me I would have made him model completely nude. To cover that body would be such a waste. Oh speaking of which...is he big down there?”

“Tsk, as if I’d tell you that.”

Alex gave him a blank look and Taiga sighed.

“Fine. Yes he is.”

“I thought so. Well, I hope you’ll show it to me once it’s done.”

“Maybe. I am not making any promises,” he said and smirked at the pout his answer earned him. He was teasing her but at the same time, there was a possessive part of him that wanted to keep the painting all to himself and not show to anyone. He didn’t want anyone else to see Daiki almost naked.

The thought make him blush.

_Since when am I possessive?_

While Taiga opened the basket and began to set everything up, Alex made them each a garland of blue, yellow and red flowers. She always did whenever they had picnics when Taiga and Tatsuya were children.

Once done she put one on Taiga’s head and the other on her own. Then they began to eat, starting with the sandwiches and some lemonade.

“These are delicious, Taiga! Well done.”

“Thank you. Though all I did was to put the ingredients on the bread.”

“Still, not bad for your first time.”

He smiled at her. After taking another bite he hesitated for a slight second before telling her the main reason behind his interest in learning how to cook.

“I want to make something for Daiki sometime. Though I need to get better at cooking first and that will take awhile.”

“ Aw that’s sweet. But why not make him one of these?”

“Maybe. Although I was thinking about asking him what he would like. That way I know what I have to learn.”

“That’s true. Well, I am sure he will like anything you make for him.”

They continued to talk while they ate; during the conversation Alex took the opportunity to give Taiga a few love tips. Some of them were appreciated while others only embarrassed the young noble.

And when the food was gone Taiga lay down with his head in Alex’s lap while she petted him through his hair. It was a nice moment and it had been a while since Taiga felt so relaxed and at peace. He hadn’t realized it when Alex first arrived, but this was exactly what he needed.

 

* * *

 

To sneak into Taiga’s room was one thing, but sneaking around in the halls of the mansion was a different experience all together. While dangerous and absolutely forbidden, Daiki could not help but to feel excited about it.

Kuro was following them, curious about where they were going at this time. He’d learned by now that no one walked around the house this late. Thankfully he was quiet.

Once they reached the door to the painting room Taiga took one last look around to make sure the coast was clear before taking his key out. He always locked his studio after using it. It was his sanctuary where he could relax by doing what he enjoyed. Carefully he opened the door and urged Daiki to enter first. Kuro was staying outside, lying down on the door’s left side.

When both were inside he closed and locked the door.

Having been in the room once before Daiki noticed the difference from that time and now. Taiga had made some changes for the portrait. His eyes immediately found the white loveseat-sofa standing against one of the large windows. The curtains were opened to reveal a summer night sky, not too dark but not bright either. On the floor behind the sofa on the right side stood a tall candle holder made of silver, holding four blue candles. And even more candles could be found on either side of the sofa, standing on low, wooden tables. These candles were white and blue.

“Blue candles?” Daiki asked.

“I dipped them in some color.”

“They’re nice. How long did it take to prepare this?”

“Not that long; a little under an hour. Most things were already in here.”

Taiga grabbed a thin white blanket and threw it to Daiki to who caught it easily.

“I am going to light the candles. You can take your clothes off meanwhile and use that blanket to cover yourself.”

Daiki smirked.

“Eager, are we?”

Rolling his eyes, Taiga grabbed a box with matches.

“Well, there isn’t much time and I would like to get something done before we have to leave.”

“Fair enough. But you’re looking forward to see me naked, aren’t you?” He said hopefully but there was also a teasing hint in his voice. To his surprise Taiga didn’t react with embarrassment or even annoyance; instead he turned to him with a smile and red eyes hooded.

“Very much.”

But then his expression hardened.

“Now get to it,” he said firmly and turned to light the candles.

When he heard the rustling of clothes as his lover undressed, Taiga found it difficult not to look. Daiki stripping was always a nice thing to see. But he would be able to look at him as much as he wanted for the next hour so he could wait.

When the last candle had been lit he turned around and was met by the pleasant sight of Daiki’s bare chest and the blanket loosely wrapped around his waist where it hung very low, revealing his hip bones and a good amount of his pelvic area. Taiga couldn’t help but stare.

Noticing the dazed look in the other’s red eyes Daiki approached him with a smirk. He heard Taiga suck in a breath when he stopped just a few inches in front of him. As his red eyes took their time to observe the strong body that was now so close, he gave in to his urge to touch. He placed his hands on Daiki’s chest and slowly trailed them downwards, feeling the soft yet muscular skin that he was so familiar with now.

“Taiga…” Daiki groaned as the fingers on his body felt up his back. And at the sound of his voice Taiga snapped out of his daze and withdrew. He remembered what they were there for, shaking his head with a sigh.

“We can’t waste time like this. Would you go sit on the sofa, please.”

Slightly disappointed, but agreeing on Taiga’s reasoning, Daiki walked up to the sofa and sat down as instructed.

“How do you want me?”

 

* * *

 

 

An hour later it was time to call it a night. Taiga was up to a good start and had gotten further than he thought he would. But he was by no means finished.

Daiki was a spectacular model and a delight to paint. Taiga had been taken aback by how beautiful he looked after all preparations were done. It was even better than he’d imagined in his head and he couldn’t wait to finish the painting. Though once it was finished he would have to store it somewhere where no one could find it. If someone did that would be disastrous.

When Daiki stood from his seat he stretched his arms high above his head, stiff from being in the same position for so long even with a ten minute break halfway through. It was nice to be allowed to move again.

As he stood, the blanket fell and revealed his full naked body. He hadn’t worn it around his waist during the session; according to Taiga’s instructions it was supposed to lay in his lap to cover his private parts. And when it fell to the ground with a soft thump Taiga looked up and felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. His eyes immediately zoned in on the part between Daiki’s legs and swallowed silently in his throat, his mind starting to imagine certain things.

Noticing the reaction Daiki let out a low chuckle.

“I think we can spare another fifteen minutes for a quick round,” he purred and caressed Taiga’s cheek.

The red-haired noble closed his eyes at the touch and nuzzled into the other’s hand. As tempting as that was though, there was no time for it. Daiki had to get up early for work and needed to sleep. Most servants went to bed fairly early because of the early morning hours and thus woke up nearly fully rested. If Daiki was too tired in the morning it could arouse suspicion, especially now when Kagetora was well enough to leave his bed.

So with a shake of his head Taiga declined to which the bluenette scoffed. But he was at least given a kiss as compensation.

“Same time tomorrow,” the red-haired noble said when they made it back to his room. Daiki nodded and they shared one last kiss before he left. 

The portrait sessions continued fully for two more nights. And halfway on the third night the portrait was nearly done. There were still several details that needed to be filled but Taiga could complete them without Daiki modelling for him.

With about thirty minutes to spare before Daiki had to leave, Taiga suggested a late night swim in the lake. It had been Alex’s idea; one of her love tips from their picnic day.

 _“Swimming together in the nude is very nice”,_  is what she’d said and Taiga found the idea rather interesting.

When Taiga informed his model that they were done, and with the decent amount of time they had left, Daiki was on him instantly. They’d been so busy with the portrait these past few nights and therefore not been as intimate as they usually were. Certain activities had to be put on hold.

Taiga was startled when Daiki with determined, quick steps closed the distance between them and kissed him hard. He gasped against the other’s lips but soon relaxed and began to press against them. It was then he remembered the swimming idea he had planned to suggest. When he broke the kiss by turning his head to the side, Daiki made a displeased little sound and tightened his hold around him. With an amused smile on his lips Taiga met his eyes and spoke up.

“Let’s go for a swim in the lake.”

And so they ended up at said lake about five minutes later. It lay on the Akashi grounds, only a few minutes walk from the mansion, and was privately owned by the family so they did not have to worry about anyone else being there. Not that anyone would be out swimming at that time anyway. Or walking around on the Akashi property either, for that matter.

Facing the water, his back against Daiki, Taiga began to undress. He started with the shirt that was already half unbuttoned. Daiki watched him, transfixed, and let a quiet groan slip past his lips as the white shirt fell off his lover’s shoulders and landed on the ground. Taiga had such a nice body, his broad back strong and free of any scars or marks.

Since Taiga was turned away from him, Daiki couldn’t see the sly look on the noble’s face as he undressed. Taiga knew the other was watching him and was purposely taking his time to rid himself of his clothes. After taking off his shoes he hooked his thumbs into the hem of his pants and slowly began to drag them down his legs, doing the same with his underwear afterwards. When everything was off he turned to face Daiki whose eyes instantly lit up with a spark of excitement and lust as they were greeted by Taiga’s fully naked body.

“Why are you still dressed?” The redhead asked, although had already known that Daiki would be fully clothed, and his smirk widened when his lover jerked back to reality at the sound of his voice.

“I...forgot,” he replied dumbly and began to rid himself of his shirt.

“Don’t take too long…” Taiga drawled and began to enter the water. It was slightly chilly but not unbearable. The sun had been shining all day and the temperature in the air was still rather pleasant. Though that would soon start to change; August was already halfway through and with September coming, summer would be brought to an end.

Taiga was already standing waist-deep when Daiki began to enter the water. The servant quickly caught up to him and when they were next to each other they both dived under the water. They swam together a bit farther out until the water reached their chests.

Daiki went below the surface for a moment and Taiga was hit by an idea. He waited until his lover came back up and when he did, he called his name.

“Daiki.”

“Yeah?” The bluenette answered while shaking his head to get rid of some water on his face, eyes closed as he did. And during that time Taiga took some water into his mouth, swam up to Daiki and waited until he opened his eyes. The moment he did, Taiga spat out the water in his face, earning him a surprised sound.

“Ugh!”

Taiga burst out with laughter.

“Haha! You should have seen your face!”

After wiping his face yet _again_ , the servant narrowed his eyes and with a swipe of his hand against the surface splashed a good amount of water into the other’s face, effectively stopping the chuckles. Taiga coughed as some of the water got into his mouth.

“Hah. Gotcha,” Daiki said smugly and his grin widened when Taiga sent him a glare, although a playful one. He could see that the corners of Taiga’s mouth were twitching as said noble tried not to smile. It was rather adorable.

Taiga returned the splash with one of his own and so a little war broke out between them. They kept at it for a few minutes, both of them stuck in a fit of unstoppable laughter, until they ended up sharing a deep kiss in each other’s arms.

Without ending the kiss, Taiga wound his arms around Daiki’s neck and his legs around his waist. It wasn’t difficult to stay like that under water but Daiki held onto him by hooking his hands under his thighs. They stayed in that position for a while, kissing each other until both needed to gulp for air. Daiki’s hands moved against the skin of Taiga’s thighs in a gentle caress and was just about to scoop down for yet another kiss when his red-haired lover spoke in a breathy whisper against his lips.

“Daiki...let’s do it.”

He didn’t have to elaborate. Daiki knew exactly what he meant.

“Right here?”

Taiga chuckled against his the side of his neck and shook his head.

“No, silly. On the shore.”

With a nod Daiki slowly let go of the other who began to detach himself. They walked out of the water hand in hand and after Taiga splayed out the towel he’d brought with on a spot of grass they laid down.

“This is the first time I have sex outside,” Daiki said as he positioned himself over his lover, hands on either side of Taiga’s head.

The redhead chuckled but didn’t say anything else. He gently took hold of Daiki’s face and pulled him down for a soft kiss. A light moan left him when he felt the other’s knee between his legs and spread them further apart to allow it better access.

“I don’t have anything to prepare you with…” Daiki muttered as he sent a soft trail of kisses down his neck.

“I know,” Taiga breathed out and tilted his head to side so that his neck was more exposed to the other’s lips, “you just have to be extra careful, that’s all.”

Humming against the damp skin Daiki trailed one of his hands down to take hold of Taiga’s erected member, causing the redhead’s breath to hitch. He gave it a few slow strokes, feeling the small leak at the tip and enjoying the sounds it earned him, before letting go and proceeding to prepare his lover with his fingers.  

Once done he slowly began to enter with his own cock, stopping when Taiga’s face scrunched up in slight discomfort for a moment. When he was given permission to continue he did and when both had adjusted, Daiki now fully sheathed, he began to roll his hips and leaned down to take Taiga’s lips with his own.

It somehow always surprised him how fast Taiga got into it, now used to the mix of pain and pleasure and eagerly returning the thrusts of his cock by bucking his hips.

“Mmm! Ha-harder, Daiki. Ahh... _please_ ,” he moaned while dragging his nails down Daiki’s back, the sting of them lost on the bluenette who was too lost in the pleasure of their love making. With a grunt he did as asked and quickened his pace.

“Y-yess...just like ahn! Just like th-that!”

Oh gods Taiga was so perfect.

Afterwards when they were done they laid on the towel for a while, Daiki resting his head on Taiga’s chest, and looked at the sky while talking about small things. It was such a peaceful and satisfying moment and neither wanted it to end. But alas, eventually they were forced to go back. The spare time they’d had after the portrait was done had already been over-stepped and Daiki really had to go. But first he had to make sure Taiga didn’t hurt himself while climbing up the vines to his balcony. He couldn’t fight back the amused smile as he thought back to how scared the redhead had been on the way down earlier.

“Will you catch me if I fall?” Taiga asked before starting his climb. When Daiki shrugged his red eyes narrowed.

“I’ll try.”

“What do you mean you’ll _try?_ The fall can seriously hurt me!”

“Yes and I will try my best to catch you, but I can’t guarantee that none of us will get hurt. You are about as heavy as I am.”

“Hmph. That’s reassuring…” the red-haired noble muttered sarcastically.

With a chuckle Daiki rubbed their noses together playfully and muttered.

“I don’t mind sacrificing myself for you so don’t worry.”

His words made Taiga blush.

Then with a quick peck to the redhead’s lips Daiki continued. “Now go. It’s really late.”

Thankfully, Taiga managed to climb all the way up without any incidents. When he crossed the railing and stood on the balcony he turned to look down at Daiki. They waved goodbye like always before parting ways.

Unbeknownst to them both, these happy moments of theirs would soon come to an end.

  
  



	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Narcissistik_Jerk, ShinPyon, Roxxane_bookdragon and Serendipity123 for your lovely comments on the last chapter. And thank you all for your kudos, and of course you who read and enjoyed last chapter as well. <3
> 
> So things are soon going to get a bit darker in the story, just a heads up. But when it comes to that I will put up warning.

 

A few days later Seijuuro came back home. It was still early in the morning when his carriage arrived at the mansion and Taiga was asleep; he probably would not wake up in another hour so the older Akashi decided to take a bath, dress himself in some fresh clothes and have a cup of tea. His trip to the mines in Seirin had been a giving and beneficial one; he and Shirogane had sorted out a few things and he had also discussed certain matters with the workers to make sure they were content with their working conditions.  They had even discussed a new business deal concerning a silver mine. Everything was in order.

After his bath he dressed up in black pants, a wine red dress shirt accompanied with a black vest, a black bow tie and red frock coat*. Unlike his younger brother, Seijuuro always dressed properly no matter the occasion. It was only appropriate that he looked his part and thus make it clear to those below him of his status.

When he was given the tea he’d ordered he took it with him to Taiga’s room as he would be in there until his brother woke up. He had missed him dearly; two weeks was a long time and they had barely spent any time together before his trip as well as Taiga’s return from Yosen. It was regrettable but due to his work it was inevitable that they saw less of each other. But that could easily be solved.

Silently he entered his brother’s room and walked up to the bed. A fond smile stretched his lips at the sight of the other’s peaceful, sleeping face. He carefully bent down and brushed a few red strands away from his closed eyes.

He then brought up one of the chairs in the room and placed it by the bed. With a satisfied sigh he sat down and watched the sleeping Taiga for a moment before taking out the newspaper he’d brought with him tucked under one of his arms. There were few interesting news to read about but the economy pages caught his interest as they always did. He liked to update himself with the different markets and possible competition.

About ten minutes later Taiga stirred, causing Seijuuro to look up from the paper. Slowly, red eyes blinked open and it didn’t take long before the younger noticed the other’s presence.

“Sei?” he rasped out groggily. He wondered for a second how his brother managed to get in since he’d locked the door last night...but then he remembered that Seijuuro had the keys to many rooms in the mansion. Thankfully he did not have the key to the painting room.

“Good morning, Taiga. I hope I did not wake you.”

Blinking the tiredness away Taiga sat up and shook his head.

“No you didn’t. Did you just come back?” The younger said through a yawn.  

“Yes, about an hour ago.”

“Oh. Well, I am glad to see you.” He was glad to see him, that was no lie, but at the same time he couldn’t stop the feeling of disappointment that hit him. With Seijuuro back it would be significantly more difficult to spend time with Daiki. They would have to be even more careful and perhaps even put their relationship on hold, not seeing each other at all for a few days as not to arouse any suspicion. The wisest thing to do would be to not see each other until Seijuuro’s next business trip. But that was too long.

“I am glad to see you too. I have missed you considerably.”

Taiga smiled, trying to seem as genuine and believable as possible.

“I missed you too. It has been quite lonely around here.”

“Yes I can imagine. But surely you have spent some time with your friends?”

“Ah yes, Kazunari has been here and as I wrote in my letter we spent a day in Rakuzan. Oh and Alex stayed over two nights a few days ago.”

Seijuuro nodded.

“Would you like me to call for some tea to help you wake up properly?”

“No I am fine. I just need a few more minutes and I will be ready for breakfast.”

They talked for a bit, Seijuuro told him about his trip and future plans for the mines; things Taiga wasn’t really interested in but he listened nonetheless. When the clock struck nine it was time to get ready for breakfast.

When Taiga threw the blanket off himself, Seijuuro noticed that he was only wearing a nightshirt and his eyes lowered to his exposed thighs. They stayed there for some time and a rare look flashed in them.

Of course, Taiga himself was completely unaware of it and the thoughts that clouded his brother’s mind. When he caught the stare he thought that Seijuuro was simply just staring off into the air while lost in thoughts about business or the like.

“Sei?”

Immediately snapping out of his daze Seijuuro stood up.

“I will wait for you downstairs. Do not take too long and remember to dress properly.”

Then he left the room to give the other some privacy.

To think that he had almost lost control so easily just now. It was becoming more difficult, especially now when Taiga was finally an adult. As he sat himself down at the table he thought that perhaps it was time to set the next step of his plan into action.

 

* * *

 

 

After breakfast Seijuuro went to attend some paperwork in his office. Kuro was delighted to have his master back and gladly accepted the few pats to the head before lying down next to the desk as usual.

However it was not only for the paperwork that Seijuuro left Taiga after breakfast. He wanted a private audience with Mayuzumi to hear how things had gone during his time away. Or more specifically, he wanted to know what his younger brother had been up to in more detail.

The first part of his valet’s report was nothing special; just how the household and servants had functioned with few complications, news about the farmers and other residents living on the family’s land as well as who hadn’t paid the taxes. The normal trivial things. But the second half had Seijuuro tense in his chair and eyes narrowing.

“I must have misheard you.”

“I am afraid not, sir. Taiga-sama has been using the kitchen several times for cooking. It seems he convinced Sakurai to teach him. Just the other day he and Alexandra-sama made food for a picnic. Harasawa has tried to persuade him out of it but your brother did not listen. And he certainly does not listen to me.”

“I will speak to him. This is unacceptable. I will not have my brother cook in a kitchen like a lowly servant.”

Seijuuro was speaking in his usual tone but the look in his eyes showed his absolute displeasure about the situation. He looked almost disgusted.

“There is also another matter I must tell you about, my lord.”

“Yes?”

Mayuzumi cleared his throat, slightly nervous to see his master in such a rare mood, before carefully speaking up.

“It is regarding that Aomine boy.”

“What about him?”

“Well…it seems like he and Taiga-sama have been spending some time together.”

Seijuuro’s eyes narrowed.

“In what way?”

“Well, they talk with other quite often. Especially during Aomine’s walks with the dogs. And your brother invited him to share lunch with him once. Perhaps it is not my place to say but from what I have seen it seems as though the boy has taken quite an interest in Taiga-sama.”

“I see. Well then, I want you to bring Taiga here instantly. I must have a chat with him.”

“Right away, Seijuuro-sama.”

 

* * *

 

 

Taiga had been painting when Mayuzumi told him that his brother expected him in his office. Not knowing what it could be about but certainly not one to refuse the summoning, Taiga put down his painting brush with a slight frown. He took off his painter jacket and washed his hands before following the servant to see Seijuuro.

“Thank you, Mayuzumi, you are dismissed,” the older Akashi said once they had entered the office.

“Yes, sir.”

Taiga stood still and watched his brother. He didn’t know why but there was tension in the air even though Seijuuro looked calm.

“Sit down, Taiga.”

With a nod the younger obeyed and sat himself in one of the armchairs in front of the desk. Kuro raised his head to look at him and began to wag his tail. Taiga offered him a small smile, surprising Seijuuro slightly.

“You two seem to get along.”

“Oh...I wouldn’t say that. I have only just now learnt to tolerate him, that is all.”

Seijuuro leaned back in his seat.

“Oh? That is interesting. And how did this happen?”

Taiga hesitated. Perhaps it was not wise to involve Daiki at all; especially since it was him who had been responsible for Kuro that day. His brother would probably not be pleased to find out that Kuro had rushed towards him and given him a fright. He would leave that part out, but he talked with all the servants so mentioning that Daiki had helped him a little should not be an issue. After all, he wasn’t a good liar and Seijuuro would likely notice if he made everything up.

“Well, Daiki was walking him one day and I was close by. Since I had not spoken to him much since his first day I wanted to welcome him properly. Kuro barked at me and it scared me a bit so Daiki helped me befriend him...but only a little bit.”

Seijuuro’s eyes narrowed for a short moment at the mention of the dog caretaker’s name. Taiga always addressed the servants by their first names but it bothered him to hear this particular one from his little brother’s mouth.

“The dog caretaker. Well, that was nice of him. Has he settled in?”

“Yes I think so. He has done a good job while Kagetora was ill.”

“I see…”

Not liking where the conversation was going Taiga changed the subject.

“So what did you want me here for?”

“Ah yes. There were a few things that I wanted to speak to you about. Firstly, I forgot to hand you the books I promised to buy you from Seirin.” As he spoke, Seijuuro opened one of the drawers to his desk and brought out three books, all bound in expensive brown leather.

He placed them on the desk for his brother to take.

“Oh, thank you so much,” Taiga said with a fond smile as he took them.

“It was nothing. The second thing I wanted to tell you is that the deal concerning that new silver mine I told you about will require me to travel more often. Thus I have decided that you will accompany me to Seirin every now and then. I do not want you to be lonely and I also think that it is good for you to learn more about the business.”

“I am not _that_ lonely-”

“I have already decided. We leave for Seirin next month. It is also for my own benefit; sometimes I cannot help but worry about you when I am away. To have you with me more often would put me at ease.”

Taiga did not like it. He didn’t want to go to Seirin; the road was long and the days would be spent listening to his brother order people around and talk about the mines with old men. He would be bored to tears and...he would not be able to see Daiki. But like Seijuuro said, it was already decided and he had no say in it.

“I understand,” he answered reluctantly.

“Good. I know you may not be keen on the idea but I believe you will get used to it in due time. You will have time for painting and other activities you enjoy.”

The younger nodded.

They sat in silence for a moment, Seijuuro writing in one of his notebooks and Taiga wanted nothing more than to leave. He decided to ask if he could be excused to which the other thankfully obliged. But just as he stood up and made to leave Seijuuro spoke up, taking his eyes off his notes.  

“Taiga.”

The younger stopped and turned, surprised by the stern look in his brother’s dual-colored eyes.

“Yes?” He asked hesitantly.

“You are not to speak to that boy again, is that clear?”

“What boy?” Despite asking, Taiga knew whom he was talking about.

“The kennel worker,” Seijuuro said, as if Daiki was not worthy of being addressed by his name.  

“W-what? Why are you telling me that?”

“You have spent quite a lot of time with him, I’ve heard.”

Taiga let out a small laugh as if the remark was ridiculous to him.

“That’s nonsense. I do not spend more time with him than with any of the other servants. I admit that I have talked and spent time with some of them a lot lately…but not him in particular.”

“That is not what my sources tell me. No matter the case, I forbid you from speaking to him again. As a kennel worker he has no place near you to begin with. And also, you will stop your unnecessary chatter with the other servants. From now on you will only speak to them when necessary, by which I mean giving them orders if you need something. They will be given the same instructions and I am afraid that if they go against them, whether by their own accord or yours, I will have to punish them accordingly.”

“But that’s- “

Seijuuro cut him off and this time he raised his voice, making Taiga flinch. He was losing his patience with his little brother’s lenient attitude towards the servants.

“They are below you and it is about time you start treating them as such! And if I hear of you using the kitchen again Sakurai will be held responsible. You have _no_ place in such filth.”

Eyes widening, Taiga could only stare at his brother with wide eyes and found himself unable respond. It was rare to see him this angry. He had told himself to make his feelings known and stand up to him once he came back from Seirin…but he realized that now certainly was not the time. He had to wait until Seijuuro calmed down.

“Now I am asking you once again: do you understand?”

Bowing his head down in defeat Taiga answered.

“Yes.”

“Good. You may go; I have work to do.”

Taiga stormed out of the office and with frustrated steps made his way to his room. He slammed the door shut behind him, threw the new books to the floor before punching the closest wall to well out his anger.

He was tired, _tired_ of this. Tired of Seijuuro and tired of himself for always losing his resolve and courage to defy him. Whenever his brother looked at him like that and used that tone he felt himself unable to do anything. He was weak against his own _brother._

“I’m so pathetic…” he muttered and leaned his forehead against the wall.

What would Daiki think of him?

_Daiki._

He didn’t care what Seijuuro said. He loved Daiki and would continue to be with him one way or another. And if things came to the worst, they at least had Alex’s support.  

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, Seijuuro is back and Taiga is once again being robbed of his freedom. 
> 
> * Frock coat - A knee-length coat that can be worn both inside and outside. It was very common during the Victorian period and many aristocrats wore them. If you want to know what it looks like google some pics.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all who commented and kudo'd on the last chapter, you guys are angels! <3 And of course, those that don't comment or give kudos also have a place in my heart for simply reading the story. It means a lot!
> 
> Anyway, from now on the story is going to get darker. It doesn't really concern this chapter but the next will turn things around a bit.

 

 

Seijuuro had truly meant what he said yesterday. Taiga became aware of that the next morning as he noticed how the servants seemed to be avoiding him. At breakfast Kouki had kept his eyes cast down the entire time and when Taiga thanked him for pouring him his tea, the servant had only responded with a quick nod before distancing himself to stand by the wall should he or Seijuuro need anything else. And again, Kouki only looked at the floor the whole time as he stood there.

Taiga hated it. But his brother seemed pleased about it and casually sipped at his tea.

  
“You have not touched your tea,” Seijuuro pointed out a few minutes later. His eyes made a quick scan of the table before adding, “not eaten anything either.”

“I am not hungry,” the younger muttered, having lost his appetite at the realization that none of the servants would converse with him from now on and how lonely he would be. But what dampened his mood the most was the question of whether Daiki would avoid him as well. After all, he had not come to Taiga’s room last night.

He frowned when he heard his brother sigh in disapproval next to him.

“Nonsense. You must eat something; we are going to town in an hour.”

“Why?” Taiga asked curiously.

“I have a few errands to take care of. And I believe a walk would do us some good and give us time together.”

“I see. It has been a while since I went there.”

In order to avoid any conflict with his brother Taiga ate some fruit and toast as well as finishing his tea that had gone lukewarm at that point. Afterwards he took a bath and dressed himself in clothes that would keep Seijuuro happy.

The town Josei was a fifteen minute walk away from the Akashi mansion. Since it lay on the land owned by the family the people who lived there paid their taxes to Seijuuro. And store owners had to consult with him about their sales contracts and inspections. 

It was a small town, although bigger than a village, and had the standard facilities such as a shoemaker, seamstress, bakery, butcher, a small general goods store, post office, pharmacy and a small hospital where the doctor was decent at best. The rest of Josei consisted of civilian homes and a few farms where peasants lived.

It did not take long for the people that were out to notice the brothers as they walked down the only main street that went through the whole town. Many greeted them politely and bowed, bidding them a good day. While Seijuuro ignored them, keeping his head high and eyes up front, Taiga smiled and returned some of the greetings. He thought it would be rude not to.

Mayuzumi walked behind them, although a good distance away to give the masters some privacy. Taiga was disappointed that he came along; his brother had said that half the purpose of the visit to town was for the two of them to spend time together. When he’d asked about it before their departure Seijuuro claimed that he had a few packages to pick up at the post office and Mayuzumi was to carry them. Taiga had nearly rolled his eyes when he was told about it.

_Of course it was something like that_

Seijuuro never did such things himself, deeming physical labor of that kind to be below him. There were, after all, servants to do it for him.

When they entered the post office the owner instantly straightened up and bowed, addressing them both with the proper honorific. Despite being used to it, Taiga felt a tad uncomfortable but smiled at him nonetheless.

“I hope the packages have arrived without delay,” Seijuuro said, not interested in small talk with the man.

“Yes of course, my lord. Let me just bring them to you.”

The man disappeared for a moment, going into the storage room in search for what the Akashi head was waiting for.

“What have you ordered?” Taiga asked out of curiosity.

“Several things.”

“Such as?”

“One of the jewelry companies that we cooperate with have sent a prototype sample of a new collection that is to be introduced in September. They want my opinion and advice for what kind as well as amount of diamonds that are most suitable. Therefore I must study it myself.”

“I see. And what else?”

“The rest are trivial things such as clothing and equipment for my office. Nothing of interest. Although some of the clothes are for you so I would like you to try them later.”

“I will.” 

The man came back with two rather big boxes and Taiga almost felt sorry for Mayuzumi for having to carry them. _Almost_.

“I also wish to have these letters sent,” Seijuuro added after writing his signature on the receipt.

He took out a bundle of five letters from his inner pocket. At the sight of them Taiga raised a brow, a bit surprised at the amount. Were those letters of business? If they were it would not surprise him, but he spotted the receiver on two of the envelopes and realized that at least those were not business related. One was addressed to Shintarou and the other Atsushi.  Well, it was not strange that his brother wrote to his friends so he let it go with a shrug.

After the visit to the post office, Seijuuro went to talk with some store owners about their contracts and since Taiga was not interested in any of it he decided to wait outside. Thankfully he didn’t have to endure Mayuzumi’s company as the servant had been ordered to go back to the mansion with the packages.

As Taiga waited he spotted a familiar woman whom he recognized as the director of the local orphanage that lay in the outskirts of town. He hadn’t seen her since spring and happily made his way up to greet her.

“Oh Taiga-sama, it has been quite some time,” she said with a smile and curtsied. He returned the greeting with a polite bow of his head. They chit-chatted about trivial things for a moment before Taiga took out some money from his pocket and offered it as a donation. This would not be the first time he did; whenever they met he made sure to give a generous amount.

“I cannot thank you enough. The children have been in need of new clothes for quite some time now and with our budget such things are quite low on the priority list as food and medicine is of most importance, you see.”

“If that is the case I will gladly give you more if you need it,” the young noble began and reached into his pocket to give some more but the woman stopped him.

“Thank you, but you have given quite enough already. Oh perhaps one day you would like to visit and meet the children.”

Taiga smiled. He was just about to take her up on the offer but before he could utter any words someone spoke behind them.

“Absolutely not.”

Seijuurou was back and he did not look happy. His eyes narrowed at the woman, a look of disgust on his face at her modest appearance. She in turn quickly bowed low to him.

“Seijuurou-sama, good day!”

The older Akashi ignored the greeting and went straight to the point he wanted to make.

“Taiga will not visit that place and _you_ are not to ask that of him ever again. I believe our yearly donation is more than enough.”

“Y-yes, forgive me.”

Seijuurou took hold of Taiga’s arm and began to drag him away.

“Tsk, what nonsense. I will not let you visit such a foul place filled with filthy children to infect you with whatever diseases they have,” he muttered and tightened his hold when he felt the other try to pull away. 

“Sei!” Taiga exclaimed accusingly, shocked and appalled at his brother’s harsh words. He had certainly not expected that. Little by little it seemed like Seijuuro was losing parts of who he was and instead turning into someone else; a whole different person. And he did not like it at all.

“I can walk by myself!” He snapped and tore his arm out from the other’s hand. They stopped walking  and stared at each other and for once, Taiga did not falter. He was too upset at the moment and it somehow gave him strength to meet his brother’s intense eyes.

“What you said just now was unnecessary,” he scolded with his arms crossed and brows drawn together in a scowl.

In the end it was Seijuuro who gave in. He released a sigh, calming himself, and with an apologetic smile lifted one hand to caress Taiga’s cheek.

“I’m sorry. I lost my temper for a moment and said something I should not have.”

The apology felt good. And even better was the soft look on Seijuuro’s face that he’d missed. Lately he didn’t see much of it.  

“I am only worried about you; I do not want you to visit that orphanage because of the disease risks. Father died of an infection and I do not want to lose you like that.”

Taiga nodded.

“I understand. If I can’t go there...will you at least let me be in charge of the donations? If we could set up a budget I could manage it. That way I will have more to do and I think it’s about time I was given some more responsibility. It would also relieve you of some work; you are already busy as it is with the company.”

Seijuuro dropped his hand from Taiga’s cheek and thought about it for a moment. But he knew the battle was lost when he saw the hopeful look in those pretty, red eyes.

“Very well. We will look through the donation budget later in the evening.”

With a bright smile Taiga gave his brother a hug as thanks and the gesture was returned.

Before going home they decided to visit their parents’ graves. They bought some white lilies on the way that Taiga placed by the gravestones and smiled sadly at the names engraved in the white marble.

“At least they are together now,” he muttered to which Seijuuro nodded.

Their mother died eight years ago and it had been a devastating blow to their father. The old man may not have admitted it and always tried to keep up a brave face, but both Taiga and Seijuuro had seen how it affected him.

“I am sure he would be proud of you.”

“Yes perhaps,” Seijuuro muttered but he didn’t sound convinced. His father had always had high expectations of him ever since he was only a small child, unlike Taiga whom he treated more leniently. The man had been strict and always kept making it clear to Seijuuro that failure was not an option. Because of that, he didn’t receive much praise whenever he succeeded with something. Success was supposed to be the only natural thing.

Only a few times had he received genuine love from his father and after the death of their mother, such moments became even more rare.

But that didn’t matter. Because Taiga had always been there and the love he received from him was more than enough. And before their mother died, she had showered him with affection and care.

“Sei?”

Ridding himself of the thoughts Seijuuro looked up at Taiga.

“Yes?”

“Is something wrong?”

He smiled warmly at the younger. Taiga was so warm and kind. _Too kind_ sometimes. But that was one of the many things he loved about him. That and the fact that he had inherited more of their mother’s beautiful features. The hair, the eyes and the complexion. Seijuuro had, in his opinion, been cursed by a mutation that gave one of his eyes the same sandy yellow as those of their father.

“No I am fine. Shall we go back?”

“Yes.”

Taiga moved first, turning around to start walking, and thus missed the cold glare Seijuuro sent heir father’s grave.  


* * *

 

Daiki was not happy. His displeasure about the new orders concerning Taiga was expressed with a constant scowl that never left his face. He was snappy and often caught grumbling to himself. Even the dogs seemed to notice his foul mood.

Last night when the servants ate their dinner Mayuzumi had informed them of Seijuuro’s new orders. No one was to make eye contact with Taiga and not speak to him directly unless absolutely necessary. The only ones that were allowed to were Harasawa and of course Mayuzumi himself.  

When Riko boldly asked what the reason behind the sudden decision could possibly be, he had given her the following answer: 

_"The master feels that you lot have a bad influence on Taiga-sama."_

And that was that. 

When he heard the news, Daiki had panicked for a moment. Mayuzumi had looked at him a little longer than at the others and it felt as if he knew something. Also, because of this Daiki felt like these new orders were his fault. Mayuzumi didn’t know about his secret meet-ups with Taiga or he would have been fired by now. However, he had probably noticed that he and Taiga interacted with each other more; the day they shared lunch for example and no doubt having seen them converse outside during Daiki’s dog walks.

If it was his fault, then he felt terrible for the others. They were obviously not happy about these new orders either but they couldn’t do anything about it.

Daiki was also angry. Angry at Seijuuro for doing this to his brother; isolating him. It wasn’t fair at all.

He hadn’t visited Taiga that night in fear of causing any suspicion. So he decided that it was better to wait and not speak to his lover for awhile no matter how much he wanted to. For both their sakes.

“Hey...do you think it’s my fault?” He asked Wakamatsu during his mid-day break, sitting on the fence by the stable. Wakamatsu paused in his task to polish a saddle and looked up at him with a look of slight surprise that soon changed into a thoughtful one.

“It is possible, yes,” was his answer and despite having half expected it, Daiki was disappointed and his feeling of guilt intensified.

“I only talked to Taiga…” he muttered.

Oh what a lie.

“I know. But you’ve talked to him too much, had lunch with him at the same table and sometimes even if you’re unaware of it you give him looks that you shouldn’t give. Mayuzumi must have noticed that too and warned Seijuuro-sama about it. I know you don’t want my advice and so far it’s been a lost cause but I will say it anyway. You really have to stop this and lay low for awhile. If you continue to approach Taiga, his brother really _will_ act and it won’t be pleasant.”

Daiki breathed out a long sigh.

“I know.”

The blonde was surprised about the response. So far Daiki had ignored most of his warnings.   

 “Good. If you just avoid Taiga from now on you’ll be fine. About three months ago a guy got into a lot of trouble because he got too close despite a direct warning from Mayuzumi.”

“What happened?”

The blond servant stilled at that. Not everyone knew about what happened to Inoue and personally Wakamatsu thought that was for the best. Although in this situation he was conflicted because telling the bluenette what happened could help him understand the seriousness of defying Seijuuro and make him give up on his obsession with Taiga. At the same time he didn’t want to scare him either and it wouldn’t be good for a servant to speak ill of his master to just anyone, so he chose to keep it short.

“I won’t go into details but he got fired and ended up without any means to support himself.”

“So he ended up on the streets?”

Wakamatsu shrugged.

“It didn’t end well, that’s for sure. From what I’ve heard his life was ruined.”

Despite what he’d heard as well as his promise to stay low, Daiki decided to visit Taiga that night. Not to sleep with him, even if he very much wanted to, but to assure him that he didn’t intent to give up on their relationship but that it would be best to not see each other for a few nights just to be careful. Hopefully Taiga would understand.

 

* * *

 

Seijuuro was acting strange. At least in Taiga’s eyes. That evening they had taken a carriage to Rakuzan for a night out together. They’d gone to see one of Seijuuro’s favorite plays at the theater and afterwards had dinner at one of the finest restaurants in the city. And several times during the evening his brother had seemed lost in thought and staring off into space. Even during the third act of the play, the best part, he'd seemed distracted.

There was also the lack of conversation; usually when they were alone and spent time together outside of the house Seijuuro always talked with him. But not tonight. 

When they came back home the time was almost nine o’clock and the older excused himself. He had some things to take care of before going to bed. Taiga went to his room to read; he’d finished the book Alex gave him and started on the horror collection one. While it was certainly interesting he wasn’t fully able to concentrate on the text. He was still saddened about the new arrangement regarding the servants. Especially since it concerned Daiki too. Even if no one was awake at night, his lover might have decided that visiting him was too big a risk now.

He hadn’t show up last night, after all. Because of that he didn’t have any hopes of seeing him today either but around midnight when he’d just about fallen asleep, there was a soft knock on the balcony door. Blinking his eyes open he turned in the bed and saw Daiki standing outside.

Relief like no other washed over him and his heart fluttered. It wasn’t a long time ago since they saw each other, but it somehow felt like an eternity. He wasted no time running up to the balcony door and tore it open. Daiki stepped inside and a groan of surprise left him when Taiga practically jumped at him, holding him tightly.

“I didn’t think you were coming,” his red-haired lover mumbled and relaxed against him. Returning the embrace Daiki smiled and placed his chin on top of Taiga’s head.

“I’m sorry about last night. When Mayuzumi told us about the new orders concerning you I thought it was best to wait. I really wanted to see you though.”

“I understand. I’m really happy that you’re here but...I also know what you are going to say. And even if it pains me I agree.”

It pained him too. But it was for the best.

“A few days, that’s all. Just to be safe,” he assured and squeezed Taiga hard. He felt the other nod under his chin.

“Mm. I suppose the wait will make it all the more satisfying in the end...ne?”

Daiki chuckled and removed himself to look at his lover’s face. Taiga was smiling at him with a soft curve of his lips and eyes half lidded. It elicited a groan that sounded much like a whine.

“Don’t look at me like that, Taiga…” he muttered and his breath hitched when his lover trailed kisses down his cheek, jaw and neck.

“Like what?”

“We can’t. Not tonight…”

The kisses stopped and with a disappointed sigh of defeat Taiga slumped his forehead against one of Daiki’s shoulders.

“I know.”

They decided not to see each other for three nights. During the days they wouldn’t speak to each other either, as instructed by Seijuuro. But on the fourth night Daiki would come to him and they’d be together in the way both wanted to.

Neither of them looked forward to the wait.

 

 


	15. chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are gonna start to take a turn for the worse...for a while. Finished the chapter a bit earlier than I thought thanks to the rather slack schedule of my current course at uni. 
> 
> Side note: Kuroko isn't in this story lol! I kinda forgot about him xD I don't know if he will appear tbh. But then again, for what i have planned for this story he doesn't exactly need to unless u guys want it. If you do I might squeeze him in somewhere but I won't promise anything.

 

“Dai-chan!”

Having been lost in thought for a long time and thus missed the first few times his name was called, Daiki jumped in his seat and with wide eyes of surprise turned to Satsuki when she raised her voice. When he realized that it was she who had addressed him, also taking note of the disapproval on her face, he scowled and bit out an irritated “what?”

The young chambermaid sighed and shook her head.

“Breakfast is over but you haven’t even eaten anything. You will be late.”

Daiki glanced around the room and true enough, it was empty of servants except for Sakurai and his assistants. The others had left to start their daily chores. He looked down at his bowl of oatmeal and when he took a small spoon of it into his mouth his nose scrunched up in distaste. It had gone cold.

“Tsk…”

“What is with you lately? For the past few days you’ve been in a really bad mood.”

“I have not!” He snapped, further proving Satsuki’s point. Tensing in his chair as he realized this, he gave her an apologetic look.

“Sorry…”

It wasn’t that he’d snapped on her on purpose or because he wanted to. And he certainly didn’t mean to take his frustration out on anybody which he had in fact done recently, but it was difficult not to. He couldn’t quite keep it in. Three days had passed since his and Taiga’s last meeting and during that time he hadn’t even _seen_ him. With Kagetora back to full health, work was taking up more of his time because unlike Daiki, the older man wouldn’t settle for anything less than perfection and made sure to follow the schedule, as well as the tasks it held, to every full detail. It was back to his way of doing things and it left him exhausted by the end of the day.

Of course, work wasn’t the only reason why he hadn’t seen his lover. They’d agreed on staying away from each other as much as possible so it wouldn’t be strange if the young master remained inside and only left the mansion when he knew that Daiki would be at the kennel. Not to mention that they weren’t seeing each other at night either.

It was maddening and in turn affected Daiki’s mood. Seijuuro’s visit to Seirin and Kagetora’s time being ill had spoiled him too much.

“If something is bothering you, you can tell me,” Satsuki said reassuringly and smiled down at him. It was nice to know that she cared about him and truly he was grateful for her patience, having put up with him despite his current behavior. The others had avoided him.

However, he couldn’t tell her what the matter was. Or at least be completely honest with her. It was sad because he really felt like he needed someone to talk to. Someone to confide with. Alex knew but Daiki couldn’t just call or write to her for advice. And if she came to visit it was wrong for a servant like him to approach her out of the blue.

But if he kept his relationship with Taiga out, then maybe he could talk to Satsuki about it. Ease his heart a little. Wakamatsu had said that it was possible that Daki was the reason for the new rules regarding Taiga, after all. He wanted to know what Satsuki thought. He opened his mouth to do just that but before he could, she spoke up and her words caused Daiki’s eyes to widen a fraction.

“It is about Taiga-sama, is it not?”

“Y-yes but how-”

“Dai-chan,” she began and lowered her voice so that no one else may hear, “I have seen the way you look at him. When the two of you talk with each other, I can see that there is some kind of connection between you. Personally I think it would have been a nice thing if it was with another servant or a person of lower status….but Taiga-sama is a _noble_. A noble that you serve under, no less. He is not someone you can have. If Seijuuro-sama enforced this new rule regarding him, it is because he feels that all of us are already too close and this is his warning to us. We are all sad that we are no longer allowed to speak with Taiga-sama, but believe me, this is for the best. Forget about him before you get into trouble.”

_Not someone you can have_

_Untouchable_

They were wrong. Taiga wasn’t untouchable...though at the same time he was, he realized as he thought about it. Despite the relationship they shared, Taiga could never truly be his. What was between them had to remain secret, it wasn’t something that society would approve of. It could never last. Eventually Taiga would marry someone of the same status as dictated by the tradition of Teikou nobility. He’d leave the Akashi estate and live together with his husband or wife somewhere, leaving Daiki behind and not see him again. Or at least not very often; possibly during visits to the manor. But even then they wouldn’t interact.  

They could never truly be together like they wanted to.

“Dai-chan.”

He stood up slowly and kept his eyes on the floor as he spoke.

“I have to get to work.”

The thought of their impossible future would come to plague him for the rest of the day, dragging him further down into his depressive state.

 

* * *

  
Taiga had spent the past few days working on Daiki’s portrait. If he couldn’t see the real one then he would settle for the one he’d drawn and due to the current circumstances it wasn’t too bad of a replacement.

It was nearly done; just some more coloring of the candles and background needed to be done. He wanted to show it for his lover soon. And he needed to think of a good place in his room to keep it hidden. Perhaps in the same box where he kept his lingerie.

But today he was taking a pause from all the painting and had decided to go outside for some well needed fresh air. All morning had he been out with Shiro. Riding through the forest was a good way to pass the time and with the nice weather it had been a very pleasant experience. He’d brought with him some sandwiches and water for himself as well as a few carrots for his horse.

Wakamatsu had not met his eyes earlier when he asked him to get Shiro ready. His eyes had been on the ground the whole time and his replies had been short, clipped and words of confirmation such as ”yes” and “certainly”. He had even bowed to him.

Taiga hated it. At one point he had almost attempted to make small talk but remembered what Seijuuro had said that time in the office. The servants could be punished for speaking to him even if it was Taiga who started the conversation. Then it would be his fault.

Before heading back to the mansion he decided to stay for a quick lunch. He led Shiro to a big oak tree and fed him the carrots before sitting down. Taking out his sandwiches that Sakurai made him earlier he began to eat. With a sigh he leaned his head back against the trunk of the oak and closed his eyes, just listening to the sounds of the forest. The chirping of birds, the soft rush of the little creek nearby and the wind ruffling the leaves; Taiga enjoyed all of it and felt himself at peace for a moment. This is what he’d needed. Although...it was a moment he would have liked to share with a certain someone. It hit him then that he still had not made any food for Daiki and that he probably never would now when he was forbidden to use the kitchen.

He stayed for another fifteen minutes before deciding to go back. He urged Shiro to walk as slowly as possible, not looking forward to be greeted with the cold treatment of Wakamatsu back at the stables.

To his surprise, Seijuuro was waiting for him when he came back. Wakamatsu was standing behind him, looking down at the ground of course, and ready to take care of Shiro. Taiga dismounted and handed the reins to the blonde servant who took Shiro away.

“Did you have a pleasant ride?” His brother then asked to which Taiga nodded.

“Yes. Have you waited for me long?”

“Not very. About five minutes or so. There is something important that I wish to discuss with you.”

Lifting a brow questioningly, Taiga curiously inquired.

“What is it?”

His brother hesitated for a moment and trailed his eyes over the younger’s form. Then he spoke up.

“Clean yourself up and then come to my office. I shall wait for you there.”

 

* * *

 

Taiga could not help but feel nervous when he entered his brother’s office. After all, what could be so important that Seijuuro felt the need to wait for him at the stables in order to relay the summoning himself? Again, he was acting a bit strange and there was something in his expression that Taiga could not place. It was odd. 

As always, Seijuuro was sitting behind his desk looking busy when Taiga entered and his face sported a concentrated look as he read the text of a document. He didn’t say anything so the younger walked up to the desk and sat down in one of the chairs.

“Where is Kuro?”

“Kagetora is giving him a bath.”

“I see.”

Grabbing a pen from the desk, Seijuuro used it to sign the document on the line at the bottom. Once done he finally looked up to his little brother’s expecting eyes.

“Taiga, you know I love you, do you not?”

“Uhm...yes.”

A soft smile curved Seijuuro’s lips.

“I do. I love you more than anything. More than mother and father ever did.”

Taiga wasn’t sure where all this was coming from. He knew his brother loved him and he loved him back but...he had a strange feeling about this conversation. And the way the other _looked_ at him; the dual colored eyes were half lidded, hazy and softer than he’d ever seen them. 

“I want to take care of you, to protect and provide for you. I want nothing more than to make you happy.”

“Sure...I love you too.”

Seijuuro’s smile widened slightly at the confirmation.

“Good. It makes me happy to hear you say that. You see, I have decided to take you as my husband.”

…

_What?_

It felt as if someone had struck him.

“W-what…” Taiga asked dumbly, thinking- _hoping_ \- that he had misheard the other. But the serious expression on his brother’s face indicated otherwise and a strong sense of dread washed over him as he realized this. Seijuuro’s next words made him flinch in his seat.

“It is as I said. We are to marry each other.”

"No..." he muttered in a low whisper. Whether Seijuuro heard it or not was unclear; if he  _had_ heard him then he certainly did not show it and didn't consider it of any importance. He continued to speak without delay, as if speaking to one of his business peers. 

“The wedding will take place in July next summer, a week after Atsushi and Tatsuya’s. I believe that is enough time for you to get used to our new relationship.”

"No. I won't."

Seijuurou waved him off. 

"Nonsense. I have just signed the engagement contract and you will do the same," he said and pushed forward two papers for Taiga to see. One of them held the line that his brother had written his name on just now. The other one looked identical but remained unsigned.  

"There is no need for you to read it, only write your name on-"

Seijuuro came to a stop in his speech as Taiga slammed his hands down on the desk. 

"I said no! Didn't you hear me?" When he realized the harsh tone in his own voice he quickly softened his expression. When he spoke up again he did so with a lower tone. The topic was making him uncomfortable so he could not bring himself to look at the other and thus kept his eyes to the side. 

"I mean, we're family..."

"What of it?"

The coldness in Seijuurou's answer made him flinch. He could tell that his brother was slowly losing his patience. He gulped silently in his throat but didn't want to give in just yet. 

"I can't marry my own _brother._ "

"Can't? You know perfectly well that it is within the legalities. Furthermore, it is not an uncommon occurrence among nobles such as ourselves."

Taiga searched his mind for any other excuse that might prolong the end of the conversation. He knew that once it did end, Seijuurou would be the winner of it. 

"Father and mother were against those customs..."

Even to himself it was a weak point to make. And it felt even more so at the casual shrug of his brother's shoulders. 

"Their opinion on the matter hold no value anymore. As the new head of the household I make the decisions. Now, as I was sayi-"

"I won't!"

Seijuurou's eyes widened with anger; an intense anger that Taiga had never seen before. And even though his voice was low and almost calm, it didn't soothe him the least. In fact, it was such a contrast to his wild eyes that it scared him.  

"You will, Taiga. You are in no position to argue with me."

The fire in Taiga's eyes turned dim. Instead of determined and frustrated, they were now pleading and desperate. 

“But...I  _can't_! I don’t _want-_ ”

“ _Taiga_.”

Eyes widening at the heavy tone, Taiga snapped his mouth shut and felt a shiver trail down his spine. He wasn’t able to look away when his brother captured him with a cold stare.

“This is what I have decided and what I say is absolute. Do you understand?”

There was nothing he could do. Seijuuro was his guardian by law now that he held the position as the master of the household and thus had complete power over him. He practically _owned_ him. He could decide who Taiga married and had the final say in everything he did. It was hopeless to fight it.

Bowing his head in defeat, shoulders slumping, he answered.

“Yes...”

It was a miracle his voice didn’t break.

Pleased by the obedient response, Seijuuro stood from his seat and walked over to his brother. With a gentle hand he took hold of Taiga’s chin and tilted it up. Their eyes met and even though Taiga wanted to look away he couldn’t bring himself to. He could feel the prickling of tears getting stronger by the second.

“It is for the best, Taiga. I am the only one who can truly care for you.”

After those words had been uttered Seijuuro got down on one knee and took something out of his pocket. It was a black velvet box; Taiga knew exactly what was in it and wished it would remain closed forever. 

But the box was opened and revealed a beautiful engagement ring. It was made of a golden band with a big ruby in the middle and two smaller diamonds on each side. Seijuuro took it out, grabbed one of Taiga’s hands and carefully put it on his ring finger.

“I had it made for you during my recent time in Seirin. Do you like it?”

Not trusting his voice, the younger responded with a nod. It seemed to be enough and when Seijuuro bent up to give his lips a quick peck he didn’t even flinch. But his stomach churned unpleasantly.

Seijuuro then brought out his own ring. It was near identical to Taiga’s but instead of a ruby between the two diamonds was a yellow topaz.

“I will make you happy, Taiga. And I know you will make _me_ very happy.”

Seijuuro then informed him of the engagement party that was to be held tomorrow evening. He had already sent the invitations to their closest friends, informing them of their engagement.

 _‘So that’s what those letters were…’_ Taiga thought sadly to himself as he recalled their visit to the post office. Seijuuro had written and sent them before he’d even told Taiga about the engagement. And the ring was made during his last visit to Seirin. Just how long had Seijuuro planned this?

“It is very important that you dress properly tomorrow night. The new clothes that we picked up at the post office is what I want you to wear so try them on today. We need to make sure the measurements are correct.”

He then glanced at the contract that had yet to be signed by Taiga and sighed. 

"I shall give you a few days to get used to the idea before you sign."

Still in shock and barely keeping himself from bursting out in tears, Taiga could only nod. He had to get out of there so after clearing his throat he carefully asked to be excused. Seijuuro granted  him permission to leave and gave him another quick kiss before getting back to sit behind the desk.

As he watched Taiga leave his smile widened.

Finally. After years of waiting, _yearning_ , he had achieved the first step of making Taiga fully his. Of course, eventually he would also have to take a wife and as much as it displeased him, it was something that he was compelled to do.

According to Teikou law, the oldest sibling of a noble family could have several spouses but at least one of them had to be of the opposite gender in order to produce an heir. Teikou favored its traditions and the noble families as their representatives so passing on the bloodlines was important. A duty, even.

But there was plenty of time for that as Seijuuro was still young. First he would enjoy several years of marriage with Taiga, have him in the ways he’d always wanted, before marrying some noble woman to carry his child. That would be her sole purpose and he was not planning on spending more time with her than necessary. He would buy a house for her and the child to live in while Taiga remained by his side, shared his bed and be his loved one.

Taiga was his. There was nothing standing in his way for that now. Not even their pesky father.

He glanced down at the ring adorning his thumb, an heirloom that was always passed down to the new head of the family after the prior passed away. It was of simple design, made of gold and engraved with the Akashi family crest on the top side. With it came the responsibility and power that he had been prepared for during his whole life. 

A quiet chuckle left him as he studied it closely.

“You lost, father. Taiga belongs to me now.”

 

* * *

 

“T-that’s wonderful news!” Riko said with a strained smile, breaking the heavy silence that followed Harasawa’s announcement. Despite the effort that was put into pretending otherwise, it was rather obvious what that the servants were not very cheerful. Everyone except Harasawa who thought little of it, and of course Mayuzumi who looked rather pleased. He’d known about his master’s engagement plans for a long time but no one needed to know that. With a small smile he spoke up. 

“A very agreeable match. I cannot imagine a better couple.”

The engagement between Taiga and Seijuuro had been announced during dinner when all the servants were gathered in the same place. They were all seated at the table in the kitchen and discussing the news...all except Daiki who was quiet. The news had hit him like strong strike to the gut and felt himself having difficulty breathing. With empty eyes he stared down at the table and tried to process everything that was happening.

Taiga was engaged...to his _brother_. When was this decided? He’d first thought that it was a joke.

Had Taiga known about it all this time? Had he willingly agreed on it? If so...no, Daiki didn’t want to think about it. He wouldn’t assume anything; not until he had spoken with Taiga and asked him directly. That is what he told himself but the doubt could not be willed away so easily. And the hurt.

They were seeing each other tomorrow night. Or at least he hoped so. Perhaps that was not possible now. Would Taiga sleep with his brother in the same bed from now on?

The thought made his blood boil. For the first time since his and Taiga’s relationship started, Daiki felt the sharp, unpleasant sting of jealousy. He knew that as a servant he had no right to feel this way about the young master; Taiga wasn’t his no matter how much he wished otherwise and had therefore no right be jealous. But he couldn't help it. He loved him and could not stand the thought of sharing him, to let someone else have him.

But what _if_ Taiga had accepted the engagement willingly?

What then?

Mayuzumi had noticed the sullen look on Daiki’s face long ago. In fact, he had expected it. When dinner was over he approached the blue haired servant and whilst not showing it, was filled with a sense of smug satisfaction. When he stopped next to him, Daiki looked at him questioningly. He’d never seen Mayuzumi smile so much and it was a disturbing sight to behold.   

“Do you want something?”

“You look upset. Are you not happy for the masters?”

Daiki shrugged.

“Does it matter? Whether I am happy for them or not it does not matter seeing as I am a servant.”

“Ah of course you are disappointed. It only makes sense considering the lust you hold for Taiga-sama.”

“Hah?” Daiki then inquired darkly and fully turned to the other, his eyes narrowing.

“How _dare_ you even feel disappointment in the first place? There was _never_ even the slightest of chance on earth that Taiga-sama should ever desire you. The fact that you are disappointed means you’ve hoped for such an impossible and utterly _foolish_ fantasy all this time.”

The _nerve_ of this man!

“Listen here you -”

“Seijuuro-sama is the most suitable person for Taiga-sama. In fact, he is the only person who is truly _worthy_ to have him.”

“Tch. You seem to have very high opinions of Seijuuro- _sama._ You’re always following him around like a loyal dog. Is that what you are? His _dog_?”

It would certainly not surprised him if Mayuzumi at some point had sucked his master’s cock. He seemed to be willing to do anything Seijuuro asked of him and spoke of him as if he was god.

Daiki smirked when he caught the way Mayuzumi’s jaw twitched in frustration.

“I have stood by his side and served him since I was a child. Compared to you I know what loyalty is as well as my place as a servant. Your desire for Taiga-sama obviously proves your incompetence. Had it been up to me you would have been dismissed long ago, back to whatever filth you came from.”

If he didn’t leave soon Daiki wasn’t sure if he would be able to stop himself from attacking the other man. He was _seething._

“Now hopefully this engagement has taught you a lesson and will put an end to whatever beastly, no, _sickening_ fantasies you have about Taiga-sama.”

And with one last condescending look the stoic servant left him.

His goal was to have Seijuuro realize the urgency to have Daiki dismissed and would make this known in due time. He wouldn’t let anyone or anything get in the way of his master.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I REGRET NOTHING!!
> 
> Ok so, marriage between siblings will be talked about in the next chapter, so don't worry. There will be more people except Taiga who are opposed to the whole thing so not everyone is ok with it. The servants aren't really , except for ass kisser Mayuzumi, but won't say anything cause it's not their place to. Unless they want to lose their job and the Akashi family pays well, let me tell you. 
> 
> Off to write the next chap! (Makk how many readers to think you'll still have for the next chapter ? ....ehm *sweats*)


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!! WARNING : Mild incestuous elements in one scene. No more than kissing and a little touching but i'm putting it here anyway! 
> 
> Thank you all readers as always! Your support is much appreciated  <3
> 
> OK so! I know Taiga is being submissive and kinda weak against Seijuuro, and yes at the moment he is and will be for a little bit longer. BUT! He will begin to fight back a bit later.

 

Taiga woke up around ten the next morning; an hour later than usual but still no one had come to wake him. Despite the time he was still tired as he hadn’t gotten much sleep during the night prior but couldn’t bring himself to fall back asleep either. The few hours of sleep that he _had_ gotten however had been bliss, he realized as the news of engagement with Seijuuro came back to him. If possible, he would have liked to stay asleep forever.

After his brother informed him of their engagement he’d spent the rest of the day locked inside his room and thankfully it seemed like he was allowed to. Seijuuro had sent up dinner for him to eat by himself. Speaking of which, as he sat up in his bed he spotted a tray on his night desk. It held some food and water as well as a little note.

_‘I will allow it today but do not make it a habit - Seijuuro.’_

He rolled his eyes and angrily crumpled the note. Glancing at the tray he picked up the glass of water and downed it in four big gulps. He didn’t have an appetite so he could only bring himself to take one bite of a scone.

He felt sick.

He fell back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling for a good ten minutes, just thinking about his new future that his brother had decided for him and bit his lower lip as he once again felt tears in the corners of his eyes. Tears of frustration and sadness alike.

He’d tried, really tried, to be optimistic and search for any bright sides about the situation. Things to look forward to, things that maybe wouldn’t be so bad. Or ways to convince his brother to change his mind. But in the end all he’d ever found was just more hopelessness.

What would happen when Daiki found out? Perhaps he knew about it already. And they were supposed to meet each other tonight…

There was also the engagement party. How was he supposed to smile and socialize when he felt like this? The sole purpose of it all was for people to congratulate him and Seijuuro and offer their support. A celebration of their future marriage. Taiga didn’t _want_ any of that. To have someone like Kazunari congratulate him for being engaged to his _brother_ and discuss their future was something he would not be able to endure without breaking apart.

_‘What am I supposed to do?’_

He could not neglect it; Seijuuro would not allow that. To him this was an important event and Taiga was expected to behave. Staying locked up in his room was therefore not an option. Even if he chose to do so his brother had the key to his room and could easily force him to attend. Acting like he was sick was a lost cause as well due to his poor ability to lie. Seijuuro would see through him in a second.

He didn’t have a choice. 

After a long time of trying to calm himself down, Taiga dressed himself in the way his brother didn’t like but at the moment he could not bring himself to care. It was as if all his energy had been drained. His shirt and pants were loose on him and the boots undone.

When he left his room, walking down the hallway towards the stairs, he heard a familiar voice that was loud and very much upset. Curiously he followed the voice and the closer he got he realized that it came from Seijuuro’s office and that it was in fact Alex that was speaking.

She sure was here early.

“How can you do this to him?!”

She was shouting and sounded as if close to tears. Taiga stopped outside the office to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Seijuuro remained calm where he sat behind his desk, elbows propped up on the wooden surface and hands clasped together. However, there was a slight hint of irritation in his voice as he spoke.

“This matter is none of your concern.”

“Of course it is! I have known him all his life! Your mother was like a sister to me.”

“But you _are_ not a true part of the family. And considering how this is a family matter you have no say in it. As the master of the house and Taiga’s lawful guardian I have every right to decide who he marries. Surely you are aware of the laws concerning this.”

“Yes I am aware. But this is not about that; it is about Taiga’s happiness and whether you, as his brother, cares about that at all! Do you really _love_ him or is this yet another way for you to further control and isolate him? Did you even ask for his opinion before making the decision? Are you truly that selfish?”

“Taiga’s happiness means everything to me.”

Alex slammed her hands down on the desk, green eyes wide with anger and disbelief. How dared he suggest such a thing when Taiga clearly was unhappy?

“Then-”

“ _However,”_ Seijuuro interrupted her and narrowed his eyes, inflicting a slight sense of fear in the older woman. She refused to show it, however, and remained still as he continued.

“Taiga is incapable of realizing what is best for him. He is naive and ignorant and thus I cannot allow him to make such great decisions by himself. It is as I have told you before, _Alexandra,_ _I_ am the only one who truly knows what is best for him. Furthermore, there is no one who can ever love him as much as I do.”

Their argument lasted for a few more minutes before Alex had no choice but to admit defeat. Talking to Seijuuro about this matter was much like speaking to a wall; he refused to budge and listen to what she had to say. Never in her life had she felt so helpless, _powerless._ No matter how much she wanted to, she could not help Taiga and she felt disgusted with herself. The only thing she could do for him was to be there for support and consolation whenever he needed it. And she suspected that Taiga would need a lot of it from now on.

“Now that all this nonsense has been cleared I will take the time to warn you. I do not appreciate the disrespect and offense you have greeted me with today. I will forgive it this time in favor of your close bond with Taiga and our deceased mother, but it will not happen again. If you further insist on provoking me in this matter I am afraid I will have to cut all ties between us and you will never see Taiga again. Am I clear?”

“Yes…” Alex bit out through her clenched teeth. She was shaking with anger that she was now forced to suppress.

“Good. You are welcome to stay for the engagement party tonight as planned despite the unpleasantries that have transpired here. I know it would make Taiga happy to have you here... _and_ your support in our marriage.”

The last part was clearly a warning. If she wanted to remain a friend of the family, and close to Taiga, she had to accept Seijuuro’s decision and also openly support the two of them. A part of her was unsure if she would be capable of it, but she knew that for Taiga’s sake she had to. She was not going to let him go through with it alone. He needed her now more than ever.

When she exited the office she was surprised to see Taiga there.

“Taiga…”

He looked tired. Exhausted, even. And his eyes were dimmed, so different from the usual light that could always be found in them.

“Good morning, Alex…”

She took him into his arms, embracing him tightly.

“Oh darling, I’m so sorry,” she whispered sadly and he leaned into her, seeking comfort. His body relaxed when she began stroking his hair but it was short lived when Seijuuro’s voice called him from the office.

“Taiga, come here.”

Alex pulled away far enough to meet the younger’s eyes.

“Refuse him,” she whispered, “let’s go for a walk instead, ne?”

“Did you not hear me, Taiga? I will not say it again.”

Lowering his head, eyes now hidden behind his bangs, Taiga obeyed and reluctantly removed himself from Alex. He didn’t look at her as he turned away and entered the office. When he closed the door behind him Alex covered her mouth to silence a sob, tears now falling from her eyes.

Taiga went straight for one of the chairs like always and waited for the other to speak. The wait was short.

“Did the clothes for tonight fit?”

The younger nodded. He was still staring at the floor, much to the other’s displeasure.

“Look at me when I speak to you.”

Swallowing down a lump in his throat Taiga slowly lifted his gaze and met Seijuuro’s stern eyes. But upon his obedience they softened.

“That is good. I want you to look perfect tonight. Also, do not concern yourself with what that woman tells you. She will come to accept our engagement in time.”

_‘No she won’t.’_

When Taiga was given permission to leave and stood up, Seijuuro did the same and went around the desk to stop in front of him. With a loving smile he placed a gentle hand against Taiga’s cheek.

“I have some paperwork to do but I have ordered for afternoon tea to be served for the two of us in the parlor at two o’clock. I will see you then.”

“Yes.”

He was given a kiss to the cheek before being dismissed.

 

* * *

 

**_Six months earlier._ **

_“No I will not allow it.”_

_“Father, it is not uncommon for nobles such as ourselves to marry within the family.”_

_“I am very well aware, Seijuuro, but I do not agree with those customs. I want Taiga to choose his own partner, not force him into a marriage that will make him miserable. I want him to be happy. The same goes for you.”_

_Seijuuro’s eyes flashed with anger for a brief moment. He had not expected such a refusal as he usually got his will through._

_“Are you implying that I am not_ **_capable_ ** _of making him happy?”_

_“Yes. That is exactly what I am saying. Or at least, not capable of making him happy as a husband.”_

_How dared he!?_

_“I love him more than anyone and is the most suitable person to care for him!”_

_“I disagree.”_

_The young Akashi grit his teeth with an audible ‘tch’; his patience was wearing thin. He took a deep breath to keep himself composed, however, as he prepared for another attempt at persuasion._

_“I have never asked you for anything, father. I have obeyed you, dedicated and devoted myself fully to my duties as the future heir of this family. Not once have I gone against your will. And now when I for the first time_ **_do_ ** _ask you for the thing I want more than anything else, you deny me? Please, let me- ”_

 _“Why do you want him so badly? As the oldest son of the Akashi family you are guaranteed to have any single noblewoman or man’s hand. Anyone you choose will consider it an honor to marry you. So why is it that you insist on having Taiga, your younger_ **_brother_ ** _?”_

_Seijuuro lowered his head, eyes narrowing as they glanced at the floor._

_“I love him…”_

_The answer was not appreciated._

_“Wake up, boy! This is not love, it is obsession! You see your mother in him and it causes you all this foolishness!”  
_

_“That is not why I love him!”_

_“I believe it is. Ever since her death you have followed him like a shadow. It is not healthy and you shall stop all this nonsense immediately.”_

_“Father!”_

_“The answer is no. You will not marry Taiga and that is final.”_

_Not able to stand the sight of the man Seijuuro made to leave. On his way out he stopped in the doorway and sent the other a cold glare over his shoulder._

_“I will not accept this, father. I_ **_will_ ** _have him.”_

_“Get out.”_

They had never truly gotten along well. But as the oldest son he’d been obliged to spend a lot of time with his father in order to learn the business and because of that, he’d come to tolerate the old man’s presence at least. In that moment, however, he had felt nothing but contempt for him.

For years he had worked hard to keep Taiga away from any potential love interests that might lead to an eventual marriage. Seijuuro had been the one to convince their parents to give Taiga a homeschool education, he had bribed and intimidated potential suitors to stay away and during their childhood he had done the same with boys who sought to befriend his little brother.

Alex, Kazunari, Shintaro, Tatsuya and Atsushi were the only close friends he would allow Taiga to have. He had worked so hard to have his little brother to himself and when he finally was ready to tell their father about his plans to marry him, that stubborn old man refused him.

At that moment it was no longer his father he saw sitting in front of him. It was a hindrance. An obstacle. One that he knew he had to get rid off. 

It had been surprisingly easy. One of his close friends, Haizaki Shogo, had close ties to the underworld of Rakuzan and had gotten him an audience with a man specializing in medicine, drugs and poisons. Seijuuro had gone to visit the man’s establishment that on the outside looked like a normal pharmacy. But it was far from it. The man, Imayoshi Shouichi, worked for one of the most powerful gangs in Rakuzan and sold the _wares_ on their behalf.

The same day Seijuuro left the shop with a slow-working poison that shared symptoms similar to that of a flue once it took effect. A few drops a day in his father’s morning tea for a week; Mayuzumi had been the one to carry it out on Seijuuro’s orders.

And one week later his father was bound to the sickbed, too weak to do anything and soon out of his life for good. Imayoshi had, for the right price, agreed to act as the doctor and gave the false diagnosis of an infection of some sort. And then a few days later...Seijuuro had taken over as the new head of the family as their father met his end.

It had felt good to see the light die in his father’s eyes. And even better to have a crying Taiga in his arms as he comforted him.

 _‘Do not worry, Taiga. Everything will be fine. I will take good care of you,’_ he’d told him.

He had, however, spent a sleepless night trying to rid himself of a stubborn pang of guilt and regret that seemed eager to plague him. He’d been afraid and shaken by his own actions, asking himself if it truly had been what he wanted...which he then came to realize that yes, it was.

After all, his mother had spoken to him that night and told him it was alright. *

His father had defied him, looked down on him... _insulted_ him. But worst of all, had kept Taiga away from him.  

Unforgivable.

There was now not a single shred of regret or guilt left in him. He was absolute, meaning that all his decisions were right. The only thing Seijuuro regretted was the fact that his father died without knowing it was him who’d brought him to his death.

 

* * *

 

While Seijuuro worked, Taiga spent his time with Alex. They were in the garden, sitting on the grass by the rose bushes but not talking to each other. She had tried to converse with him but Taiga was not in the mood for it. He was too tired and at the moment did not want to hear words of comfort that couldn’t help him in his current situation. However, he had asked for Alex to hold him. The silent comfort was something that he did not mind at all.

She had obliged him instantly and held him to her chest, running one hand through his hair in that way she always did whenever he’d had trouble sleeping as a child. While she knew Taiga didn’t want her to speak, she did hum the melody of the song his mother often played on the piano when she was still alive. It seemed to help a great deal for eventually Taiga fell asleep in Alex’s lap. She did not stop stroking his hair though and watched with a saddened expression as he slept.

“Poor thing…”

When the clock struck ten minutes to two, Mayuzumi found them and informed Alex of the younger Akashi’s requested presence in the parlor. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“I am aware.”

“Then you know you must wake him. Seijuuro-sama will be there shortly and does not want to see Taiga-sama absent.”

“Oh please, ten minutes is more than enough time. You can go; I will walk him there myself.”

The servant looked ready to protest but at the glare she gave him he closed his mouth and bowed.

“As you wish.”

Once he’d left, Alex gently shoved at the sleeping boy.

“Taiga, wake up.”

He stirred and made a small sound of protest. 

“I know you want to sleep but you have to wake up now. It is almost two o’clock.”

Blinking his eyes open he slowly sat up. He remembered the afternoon tea he was to have with Seijuuro and sighed. Knowing better than to keep his brother waiting he stood up and brushed some dirt off his pants.

“I will walk with you, sweetie.”

They walked arm in arm towards the mansion and once they reached the parlor they parted without a word. Alex did give him a kiss to his cheek, however, and a reassuring smile. They would see each other later in the evening.

A tray of biscuits and tea was already waiting at the table between the two sofas. Mayuzumi stood by the door and informed Taiga that Seijuuro would be there soon, urging him to take a seat while he waited.

Taiga did so, seating himself on one of the padded couches and stared down at his hands resting in his lap. It was awkwardly silent, the ticking of an old clock the only sound to be heard in the room. Glancing up from underneath his bangs the young noble looked at the grey-haired servant who just stood by the door with his eyes staring straight ahead. He was not much different from Seijuuro’s dogs, Taiga found himself thinking. In fact, he was probably even more loyal than Kuro.

A few minutes later the door opened and Seijuuro came into the room. He did not pay attention to Mayuzumi who bowed as he passed him and walked straight up to Taiga. He joined him on the sofa, seating himself close to him.

With a quick snap of his fingers he silently ordered Mayuzumi to pour them some tea. While the servant did so, Seijuuro began to converse with his younger brother.

“I hope the conversation between Alexandra and myself this morning did not discourage you.”

Taiga stared at his own lap as he answered.

“No.”

“Good. A slight disagreement, that is all,” the older assured and took one of the now filled tea cups. His eyes fell closed as he took his time to enjoy its aroma of cinnamon and apples before taking a small sip. Taiga did not drink his. He opened his mouth to reply, knowing fully well that what happened that morning was more than a _disagreement._ But before he could speak his brother beat him to it.

“That woman has a tendency to speak before she thinks, as you very well know. She was acting upon her shock, not having expected the announcement, and thus was not aware of the fact that she was in the wrong. Once she has calmed herself and come on terms with the situation I am sure she will grant us her full support.”

“I am not so sure about that…”

Seijuuro stilled and slowly turned to Taiga with narrowed eyes.

“She will. If not, then she is no longer a friend of ours.”

“What exactly are you saying?” This time the younger raised his voice, a pang of anger fueling him, and fully met the other’s eyes. 

“I am sure you know what I mean, Taiga. If she disapproves of our marriage it proves that she holds no loyalty to the family. In fact, that would make her an enemy.”

Taiga could not believe what he was hearing.

“But-”

His breath hitched when his chin was suddenly taken into a firm grasp and Seijuuro leaned in close to his face, eyes boring into his intently.

“I will not forgive _anyone_ who attempts to take you from me.”

It was strange. Seijuuro’s eyes had always been the same; growing up together and seeing each other almost every day Taiga had gotten used to them and the different looks they were capable of holding. But the eyes that held him captive now, ones he could not look away from, were completely strange to him. They were near frightening to look at and seemed to suck every will to fight right out of him.

“S-sei...what-”

Once again he cut himself off. Seijuuro’s thumb had begun to caress his lower lip. As he still had his gaze settled on his brother’s face he saw how yet another strange look-one that he once again did not like- appeared in his eyes. They became half-lidded as they lowered to Taiga’s half-parted lips. Slowly Seijuuro leaned closer until their lips touched in a feather soft kiss that only lasted for a brief moment. 

“Let us not speak of this any longer,” Seijuuro muttered and withdrew. He glanced at the table and noticed the untouched cup.

“Drink your tea.”

Shaken after what had just transpired Taiga nodded dumbly and reached for his cup with a trembling hand. He took several large gulps to dampen his dry throat and distract himself from the uneasy feeling in his gut.

“I am happy to inform you that Atsushi and Tatsuya will arrive in a few hours. They were unsure whether they could attend the party but Atsushi phoned me this morning to confirm it. They have made a stop in Rakuzan for some errands but should be here in time for the event.”

Finally some good news.

“That’s wonderful,” Taiga replied and managed a small smile. With both Alex and Tatsuya with him, the night would be a bit more bearable.

The rest of their tea was finished over some light-hearted conversation but it was strained on Taiga’s part. Seijuuro would say something and he’d answer, sometimes add a comment or two in an attempt to avoid silence. When their cups were empty Taiga was relieved as he thought it was their queue to leave. But said relief only lasted for a moment, vanishing when Seijuuro suddenly pulled him closer. His head was guided down to rest against one of the other’s shoulders.

Seijuuro’s hand began stroking Taiga’s hair and even though this was something he’d done many times, it didn’t feel right like it used to. 

“I am so happy to have you as my fiancé, Taiga. I have waited a long time for it,” he murmured lovingly. Taiga didn’t say anything. Or rather, he didn’t dare to. He was not returning his brother’s feelings at all and if he was to speak there was a high possibility that he made his true feelings known.

_I don’t want this._

What he _wanted_ was....

He wanted to see Daiki. He wanted to be close to him, to make love with him again. To do such acts with Seijuuro was...repulsing to him.  Even if incestuous relationships were still accepted in Teikou- especially within the nobility- he didn’t agree with it. Their parents hadn’t either.

He tensed when Seijuuro’s hand moved from his hair and slowly, almost experimentally, traveled down one of his sides before settling on his hip. With a manner of slyness his fingers went in below the hem of Taiga’s shirt to get a feel of his warm skin.

“Wait where are you-”

“Quiet.”

He caressed the bare hip lovingly with feather-light touches before suddenly withdrawing.

Taiga breathed out a silent breath of relief. He thought it was over but was unfortunately proved wrong when his chin was suddenly grabbed again and Seijuuro pulled him in for a kiss. It was not one of those brotherly kisses they’d shared in the past; his brother rarely kissed his lips to begin with. It was one meant for lovers, but it was forceful and demanding. There was nothing tender or loving about it.

Not like Daiki’s kisses...

When he felt Seijuuro’s tongue attempting to get in between his lips he panicked and turned his head to the side in an escape.

“No.”

But his brother ignored the protest and closed the gap once more, his hands running up and down Taiga’s sides in a way that was not meant between siblings. Mayuzumi was still in the room, standing by the door and could hear and see what they were doing. Even if he didn’t react, just standing there as stoically as usual, it was embarrassing. _Humiliating,_ even.

Seijuuro pushed him down on his back and hovered over him. But Taiga quickly placed his hands on his chest and pushed at him.  

“No, I don’t want to,” he tried again and opted for a stern glare but it was weakened considerably due to the deep blush of embarrassment on his cheeks. An embarrassment not of the good sort.

The rejection was not appreciated.

“ _Taiga_. As my husband I will expect absolute obedience from you in the future. Once we are married it will be your duty to please me. You would do well to make that a habit from now on.”

The firm, cold tone made him shiver and he averted his gaze to the side, not daring to look his brother in the eyes in fear of what he would see. Seijuuro was not pleased about the resistance. But even so...Taiga couldn’t bring himself to do this. He would rather take punishment.

“Please…not now.”

Seijuuro sighed above him. This defiance would not do; once they were married he would not tolerate it. But he would allow it today. Taiga was a virgin-although unbeknownst to him he wasn’t- and thus inexperienced when it came to matters like these, so it was only natural that he was uncomfortable and shy.

“I did not mean to scare you, I am sorry. I admit that I lost control for a moment. However, I expect you to get used to the idea of our intimacy and in the future you will do as told.”

Taiga swallowed down a thick lump that had formed in his throat and nodded.

 

* * *

 

Unlike his birthday celebration a few weeks ago, only the people closest to the family were on the guest list. For Taiga this was a great relief; he was definitely not in the right state of mind at the moment to receive so many people. Let alone talk and smile as if everything was normal. With his closest friends he could be honest and make his true feelings known; at least when Seijuuro was out of hearing distance.

He, Seijuuro and Alex stood outside by the entrance to greet the guests. The first to arrive were Nijimura Shuzo and Haizaki Shogo; the two of them had shared the same carriage as their estates lay near each other.

Taiga had only met Haizaki a few times. The grey-haired man had not attended his birthday celebration due to a business trip, so the last time they saw each other was about a year ago. He’d never liked him. They way he talked, the way he treated other people...they way he looked at him. Everything about him made Taiga uncomfortable.

It came therefore as little surprise when Haizaki greeted him that his grey eyes traced his body with a lewd, perverted gleam.

“Long time no see, little tiger. My, my...you’ve sure grown in the right places.”

Taiga scowled and was about to tell him off but someone else was faster.

“Shogo.”

Upon having his name called by Seijuuro, the sly man tensed. With a nervous laugh he gave the excuse of his behavior being a joke. No one believed it though. As he passed Alex he gave her the same treatment, his eyes staying on her breasts a bit longer than what was acceptable by the social norm.

When Atsushi and Tatsuya arrived, Taiga eagerly ran up to the latter and pulled him into a hug.

“Tatsuya, I’m so happy you could make it,” he said truthfully and smiled at his childhood friend.

“And I am happy to be here. You look well.”

A lie.

Tatsuya could see that Taiga was _not_ well. He knew him better than most people and was therefore aware that he was trying hard to hide his true feelings. Taiga did not want this. Poor thing.

He gave the young Akashi a smile but it was strained.

“I’m looking forward to spend some time with you,” he then said and Taiga nodded in agreement.

To Seijuuro he only offered a short bow of his head. They never spoke much to each other. Alex, however was very happy to see him and hugged him tightly, making a fuss about how handsome he was. 

Shintaro and Kazunari were the last people on the guest list. When everyone had arrived all of them had a celebratory drink in the parlor, offering their congratulations to the newly engaged couple. Seijuuro had his arm around Taiga’s waist the whole time.

A grand dinner was served for the occasion. Four courses of some of Seijuuro and Taiga’s personal favorites. Sakurai had worked hard in the kitchen the whole day, having found out about the engagement and the party only last evening, so there had been little time to plan and prepare. As always Seijuuro was seated at the head of the table and Taiga next to him on his right. The chair to his left as well as the one next to Taiga were empty, giving the two of them their own space to share with each other. This arrangement had of course been prepared on purpose.

After dinner Taiga, Alex, Tatsuya and Kazunari went back to the parlor for tea and cake while Seijuuro and his company opted for the smoking room.

“Congratulations again, Seijuuro. I am very happy for you,” Nijimura said and raised his glass of brandy for a toast.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, your brother is a real catch. Though I was secretly hoping that you’d give him to me.”

Haizaki who had just spoken grabbed a cigar from the tray on the table and chuckled at the disapproving glare sent his way from the Akashi head.

“I would never go to such measures. Taiga is much too pure and innocent for the likes of you.”

Haizaki smirked crudely at the comment. He took a long drag from his now lit cigar before nonchalantly blowing out the smoke. His grey eyes never left Seijuuro’s.

“You know that’s how I like them.”

“Hmph, “ Shintaro scoffed and adjusted his glasses, “you insolent beast. Show some decency.”

Nijimura sighed. With a shake of his head he too sent a glare towards the grey-haired man.

“I do not believe marriage will ever suit you, Shogo. But I will continue to hope that one day you meet someone capable of taming you.”

“Hah! We both know that’s not gonna happen. If anything, _I’m_ the one who will find myself some pretty little thing to tame.”

Seijuuro decided to put an end to the conversation by raising his glass and say “Thank you everyone for taking your time being here tonight. I appreciate your support and hope to see you all at the wedding.”

“And when _is_ the wedding?”

“Next summer, after Tatsuya and Atsushi’s.”

“A whole year,” Haizaki questioned with a quirk of his brow, “and you’re not gonna fuck him until your wedding night? That is quite the commitment.”

“Do not speak so crudely of him. While I will not bed him until after the wedding ceremony, there are other ways for us to be intimate. I want him to slowly get used to the acts of lovers.”

“So in other words you’re going to train him.”

“ _Educate_ him. It is for his own benefit that he is ready and knows what to expect when the time comes.”

A nonchalant grin curved Haizaki’s lips. The expression on his face made it clear that he didn’t believe him.

“Oh please, don’t act as if it’s for his sake. You’re just impatient and want to claim him as soon as possible. I know how much you’ve wanted him all this time. Heh...I wonder what he’ll think when he finds out what you’re really like. In the bedroom, I mean.”

He was not talking out of personal experience. However, they had during one drunken night some years ago discussed how they preferred their bed partners and what sort of, for the lack of better word, _kinks_ they were into. Haizaki found it amusing seeing how innocent Taiga was. The younger Akashi was in for a surprise.

“But I suppose I cannot blame you for being impatient. He will most likely look _ravishing_ in those chains of yours.”

“That is enough, Shogo. I will not discuss such things with you.”

“If you say so,” he replied with his smirk still in place.

With a scoff Seijuuro took a small sip of his brandy before turning to his purple-haired guest.

“Atsushi, I found myself detecting some disapproval from your fiance today.”

“Eh? Ah well, Tatsu-chin was a little upset when he found out about you and Taiga-chin. It was a surprise for both of us… mostly for him though.”

Upset was an understatement. Tatsuya had caused a big scene when the letter arrived at the breakfast table one morning, resulting in several parts of the expensive tea-set from Kaijou laying in shatters on the floor. He’d made his displeasure known, for sure.

_“Tatsu-chin, there is nothing you can do. Sei-chin has decided this and that’s that.”_

_“Is that all you have to say? Are you not shocked about this?”_

_Atsushi chewed lazily on a biscuit._

_“Sure I am a bit surprised...but it’s none of our business. Sei-chin loves him.”_

_“They’re siblings!”_

_“So what? My grandparents were siblings.”_

_“But this is not what Taiga wants, I know it! To force him into this is cruel! I will not approve of this!”_

_“Like I said, there is nothing you can do. Accept it.”_

After that Tatsuya had stormed out of the room and would not speak to Atsushi for the rest of the day.

Righting himself in his seat, the purple-haired man spoke.

“Tatsu-chin is still not used to the idea but he will come to accept it. He is Taiga-chin’s best friend and therefore a bit protective, that is all. He would probably act like that no matter who Taiga-chin married.”

“Good. Well, I am not so unreasonable to think that everyone will fully approve of Taiga and I. Tatsuya is free to his own opinions and I will tolerate his disapproval as long as he does not act upon it or expresses it in front of me or Taiga. I will, however, not forgive anyone who insists on becoming a hindrance. Make sure to tell him that.”

Atsushi nodded.

“I will.”

 

* * *

 

Taiga had been ready for Daiki’s arrival that night. He was pacing the room nervously, hands fiddling with the hem of his shirt, and when he heard the familiar tapping to the balcony door he was quick to open it.

“Daiki!” He greeted him with a soft smile.

But his lover did not return the enthusiasm. There was a serious, blank look on his face as he slowly entered the room. Taiga closed the door, smile now gone and was hesitant when he turned to face the other.

“Dai-”

“I heard the news. We were all informed at dinner last night.”

Taiga’s eyes lowered to the floor, narrowing sadly.

“The engagement…”

Of course he knew. And _of course_ they had to talk about it.

Balling his hands into fists, trying hard to suppress his anger, the blue-haired servant took a demanding step forward.

“Have you known about it all this time? Were you in on it?”

A look of appallment settled on Taiga’s face and the questions made him flinch as if he’d been burned.

“Wha-”

“You’re engaged to your _brother._ That’s just...wrong. Do you really love him like that?”

Daiki was asking him all these questions but did not even give him time to answer them. His blue eyes were widened with anger and his voice accusatory, as if Taiga had been deceiving him all this time.

“He proposed, right? That’s how it works when two people get engaged. In order for it to be called an engagement in the first place you must have answered yes. Did he get down on one knee?” The more he spoke the louder and more upset his voice became.

With his remaining impatience growing, all the negativity he’d felt the whole day reaching its peak, Taiga snapped. He would not stand there and take Daiki’s accusations willingly.

“Stop it! That is not how it is! I don’t love him like that!”

“Then what? What else am I supposed to believe? That he forced you into it?”

“YES!”

Silence.

Taiga was not aware that he was crying until the first tears dropped from his chin. He blinked and hurriedly tried to wipe them away. But of course Daiki had already caught them. His expression softened and he felt a pang of guilt. 

“Taiga...”

“I can’t believe you would think that of me. You come in here and start accusing me! How could I ever want to marry my own brother? Yes, he forced me. I _couldn’t_ refuse him! Tsk...the tears aren’t stopping, damn it.”

Suddenly feeling disgusted with himself for his behavior, Daiki attempted to pull the other into his arms but his hands were slapped away.

“Get out…”

“Tai-”

“Leave!”

Daiki flinched back. For a moment he was about to do as the other wanted, turning to the door, but suddenly changed his mind. He wouldn’t leave it like this. He had to make up for what he had done.

“No,” he said stubbornly once he’d turned back to face the other.

Gritting his teeth Taiga aimed for Daiki’s face with a closed fist but it was dodged. The bluenette took hold of his wrists and immediately Taiga began to struggle.

“Let go of me!”

His demand was denied and eventually, after a moment of struggle, he gave in and slumped into the other’s chest.

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you...and when you finally show up you say things like that...you _idiot._ And thanks to you I cried.”

“I’m sorry, Taiga. I was...upset. I wasn’t thinking clearly and I...was just scared that you didn’t want me anymore.”

“Yes you _better_ be sorry. Daiki...I don’t know what to do.”

“Let’s sit down, alright?”

Taiga nodded against his chest and let himself be led towards the bed. They sat down on the edge with their arms around each other.

“Tell me what happened. All of it.”

And he did. He told Daiki about the moment he found out in Seijuuro’s office, what his brother expected of him and when the wedding was to take place. He left out the part where Seijuuro kissed him though.

“Why don’t you refuse him? It’s not right for him to treat you like that.”

Taiga sighed.

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?”

“Daiki...I don’t know how it is for you where you come from but here, the head of the family have complete authority of everyone in the household. Even family members. He has the full right to marry me whether I approve or not. He has the law on his side. According to that he’s not doing anything wrong.”

To think that such a law even existed in the first place. It was nothing short of horrible. Barbaric, even. Keep bloodlines pure? What a joke. If that was the case then why could brothers marry as well? In Daiki’s opinion, that sounded like some perverted noble once came up with the rule for having lustful fantasies of a brother. It surely would not surprise him.

“Is there _nothing_ that can be done?”

“If a judge or priest finds one of the intendeds to be unsuitable for marriage they can refuse to marry them. It usually concerns economy, the ability to support one’s future partner, mental health or living conditions. Another way is to file a complaint...a list of names signed by people who object to the marriage. Though it would have to be signed by more than half of the couple’s relatives. Although even with an objection list, the judge can choose to ignore it despite the possibility of it affecting his reputation. It really depends on the judge.”

And considering that Seijuuro had connections everywhere, undoubtedly on friendly terms with whoever was to wed them, the chance of getting away was low. Even if that person was to refuse, Seijuuro could easily find another and through bribes convince them. As for the list...well, they did not have any close relatives left to begin with. Only a few distant ones they rarely met.

It truly was a bleak situation.

“Taiga-”

Before he could finish Daiki was pushed down onto his back, a surprised gasp escaping him. Taiga settled himself on top of him, straddling his lap and hands on Daki’s chest. His red eyes were desperate as they looked down at him.

“Take me. Make me forget everything for a moment,”  he growled and slowly began to grind his hips against the other’s. A grunt escaped through Daiki’s lips at the pleasurable spark ignited by the movement. It felt good and despite his eagerness to do as Taiga asked, Daiki hesitated.

“Are you sure? You don’t seem to be thinking clearly.”

The young noble lowered his face to his neck and nodded before showering it with soft kisses.

“Please… I _need_ you.”

By then Daiki could do nothing more than to give in. Not that he minded, he had just been hesitant due to his lover’s current state of mind. He didn’t wish to take advantage of the situation. But if it was what Taiga wanted, what they _both_ wanted, then it was fine.

They hadn’t seen each other for so long, after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * His mother spoke to him that night - Their mother is dead so she couldn't possibly have been there. Clearly Seijuuro is not quite healthy in mind BUT we'll get to that later. 
> 
> Seems like Seijuuro might be into bondage according to Haizaki, ey?


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the continued support everyone <3 OK 2 things!!  
> 1: WARNING: Seijuuro being a bit of a creep and possessive jerk in this chapter. Some Incestuous elements but nothing over kissing and light touching.  
> 2: I think I managed to post some pics on my useless Tumblr that I never use; it's lingerie close to what I imagine Taiga's to look like. I don't own the picture, just found them on google. And since I failed at being high tech and couldn't insert the link to a "click here", i'll just put it like this:
> 
> http://makkuro94.tumblr.com/post/170685960038/untouchable-aokaga-fic-taiga-lingerie-3
> 
> Makk you pleb...

 

 

It was the day after the engagement party. Seijuuro was enjoying his usual morning bath, head tilted back to rest against the edge of the golden bathtub and eyes closed as he thought back to the day prior. Or more specifically, to when he’d tasted Taiga for the first time during their afternoon tea. He was _very_ pleased about the fact that Taiga was everything he had hoped and more. Absolute perfection and all his to do with as he saw fit.

Slowly he raised his fingers to his mouth as he remembered the feeling of those luscious lips against his own and smiled to himself. His tongue peeked out and swiped over his lips as he recalled the taste. So sweet and rich...a true aphrodisiac.

Oh how he wanted more of it.

The way those eyes had looked at him; slowly losing their will to fight and turning vulnerable,  matching the dark blush on their owner’s cheeks. The soft skin beneath his fingertips that quivered at his touch.

He had not thought it possible, but with each passing moment his desire grew and he wanted Taiga more than ever and with a passion unlike any other he’d ever felt.

That defiance, however, was no good. He had allowed Taiga to push him away yesterday in respect of his inexperience. But he was not about to let it become a common occurrence. Perhaps it was time to begin educating him. Or as Haizaki had so crudely called it; _training_.

He began to imagine Taiga underneath him on his bed; naked, hair splayed out against the black silk of expensive pillows, moaning softly and clutching the sheets in desperation as Seijuuro bestowed touches of affection and love upon his sensitive virgin body. Those lovely, red eyes peering up at him shyly before snapping shut at a particularly intimate caress between his legs.

_‘Ahh...Sei!'_

_His other hand made its way up Taiga's abdomen and broad chest in a single, slow caress before stopping at one of the flushed, perky nipples. He gave it a teasing rub with the pad of his thumb and was once again rewarded with such endearing, beautiful little sounds._

_Taiga writhed. Moaning, mewling, groaning, **whimpering**. _

_'Oh **please**!’ _

A truly alluring image, indeed. One that would eventually become reality in due time. A barely audible groan of excitement left Seijuuro’s lips and he felt himself stir under the warm water. His right hand left the edge of the tub and dipped into the water to settle on his inner thigh.   

There was a sudden knock on the door followed by Mayuzumi’s soft, apologetic uttering of his name.

“What is it?” Seijuuro bit out, not quite able to hold back his annoyance at having his thoughts interrupted. The servant swallowed hard in his throat before answering nervously.

“Breakfast is ready to be served in a moment.”

Releasing a sigh the nobleman righted himself up into a sitting position.

“Enter,” he commanded and once again closed his eyes.

The door was opened carefully and Mayuzumi stepped inside. He bowed low to his master, a black towel folded over one of his forearms. His eyes were on the floor as he had not been given permission to look elsewhere.

“I did not mean to disturb you, my lord.”

“But you did. You have interrupted me at an inconvenient time.”

He opened his eyes and with a frown glanced at his servant. 

“ _Most inconvenient.”_

Mayuzumi froze at the low, threatening tone and felt a drop of sweat glide down the side of his face. Even though his gaze was still on the floor, he knew that those powerful eyes were on him.

“F-forgive me. I just...well, according to schedule it is time for-”

“I was not aware the _schedule_ gave the orders in this house,” Seijuuro interrupted with a condescending tone. He glanced at the decorative clock standing on a side table a bit farther away. It showed that he had spent a longer time in his bath than he thought- having been so lost in thought about Taiga he’d forgotten himself- and there were now five minutes until his usual breakfast time. An indifferent scoff slipped past his lips and he once again directed his stare to the bowing servant.

“The schedule is altered to _my_ needs, not the other way around. If I wish enjoy my bath for a longer time you stand silent by the door until I tell you otherwise. You ought to have learned that by now after so many years. Breakfast can wait; it will be served to me when I wish it.” 

Mayuzumi bit his lower lip, ashamed of himself and disgusted by his own incompetence. How could he have been so foolish? To make such a mistake was unacceptable. Though, he had acted out of good will. When the master had not called for him ten minutes past the usual time he got out of the bath, he was hit by worry. And Seijuuro was always very precise with his routines even if he just now denied it.

“It was not my intention to anger you, Seijuuro-sama. Please accept my sincerest apologies. I will submit to any punishment.”

“Your intentions are irrelevant. The fact remains that you acted out of order...and thus _disturbed_ me.”

The water sloshed as Seijuuro crossed one leg over the other, propping his elbow on the edge of the tub and closed his hand into a fist to rest his chin on it. Despite being in a position that many would consider vulnerable- fully naked in a seated position with only some white bathing foam as cover- Seijuuro looked powerful. His usual air of indifference and superiority was as imposing as always.

When the servant opened his mouth to reply he was stopped.

“Do not speak.”

Instantly Mayuzumi snapped his mouth shut and got down on one knee, awaiting further instructions.

The room was silent as Seijuuro observed him thoughtfully, deciding whether to punish his servant or not for interrupting him in his fantasy about Taiga. The fingers of his free hand softly tapped the edge of the other side of the tub repeatedly during his deliberation, the sound only serving to add further tension to the otherwise silence.

In the end he decided to let it slide. Mayuzumi was loyal to him, more than any of the other servants, and had been so for many years. He could forgive such a mistake this once.

“I shall forgive it this time.”  

A quiet breath of relief left Mayuzumi’s mouth. He wanted to thank his master but remembered being given an order to not speak. So he remained quiet. There was a look of hesitation on his face, however, and Seijuuro noticed it.

“Is there something on your mind that you wish to tell me? You may raise your head.”

The gray-haired servant nodded and looked up to meet Seijuuro’s eyes. He remained on one knee though as he had not been told to stand. After years of working as a servant he had learned to stop his eyes from wandering and paid therefore no mind to the master’s naked body below the surface as he raised his head.

“The Aomine boy-”

“I must say I am growing tired of hearing that servant’s name. What is it this time? Has he broken the new rule concerning my fiance?” Seijuuro asked impatiently. That name alone was enough to get on his nerves. Instead of imagining himself with his sweet Taiga on his bed while savoring the relaxing heat of his bath, he was having a conversation about that blue haired commoner. It irked him.

“Not quite but...it does concern Taiga-sama indeed. You see, when Aomine was informed of the engagement, and let me congratulate you once again, he had the _audacity_ to look disappointed. He did not seem happy about the news and when I spoke to him he did not deny his romantic interest in Taiga-sama. Or well, I would rather call it a matter of lust. I did not inform you yesterday as I wished not to spoil your day of celebration...”

“And?”

“Seijuuro-sama, that boy is no good. Please, I ask of you to send him away. He will only bring trouble and is not worthy of serving you or this house!”

Seijuuro raised an eyebrow in amusement and a small smile curved his lips.

“You truly are upset about this matter.”

“O-of course! If he is disappointed and displeased about your engagement, it means he has been hoping, _considering_ the idea of being with your betrothed as if it was even a possibility. For a servant to have such thoughts about Taiga-sama...”

He did not have to elaborate any further. The amusement on Seijuuro’s face faded and a dark scowl took its place.

“Indeed, that is unforgivable.”

He stood up, deeming himself finished with his bath, and Mayuzumi respectfully averted his eyes.

“Very well. I shall see the boy myself this afternoon and personally teach him his place. To send him away so suddenly, however, would be inconvenient as I have not found a replacement for him. I will leave him a warning and make him understand his own foolishness. You may stand,” the master said and took the black towel offered to him. 

“Leave me. I shall dress myself today.* I am going for a hunt in the afternoon; inform Kagetora and Nebuya. Also, tell Wakamatsu to have my horse ready by two o’clock.”

“As you wish, my lord.”

As an afterthought he added, before the other could leave, “and inform Taiga that I expect him with me at breakfast. He has been given enough time for his childish brooding in his room.”

 

* * *

  
They were having breakfast outside again, in the garden, with Kouki to serve them. The brown haired servant stood beside them with his hands clasped in front of him and eyes down at the grass.

Seijuuro had allowed Taiga to eat by himself in his room for the past two days -except dinner last night- as he hadn’t been in the right mood for socializing. Not today however. His brother thought it was time to stop sulking and thus called for him to share the breakfast table with him that morning.

Just like the two past days, Taiga didn’t eat much. His usually healthy appetite had still not returned to him. He’d had some orange juice and a few biscuits, nothing more. He glanced at the food-filled table and was hit by a wave of guilt. It would be an even bigger waste today than usual. Why couldn’t the servants have it?

“Are you still sulking?”

Taiga frowned at the sudden question. Seijuuro didn’t look at him, too busy enjoying his precious tea, but easily noticed his mood nonetheless.

“And what if I am? I think I have good reason to be upset.”

“You do not. This is an agreeable match and seeing as I will not change my mind there is nothing you can do about it. Therefore it is best for you to accept it and look forward to our future together. I know for certain that we will make each other happy. As we always have.”

“I don’t-”

“Enough.”

In Seijuuro’s mind, the reason why Taiga was so against their engagement was due to his young age. Being eighteen his younger brother had still not quite left the rebellious phase and immature mentality that came with the teenage years. He was being stubborn, upset to have his options limited and being told what to do, that was all. Once the teenage phase was over Taiga would come to realize what a good decision Seijuuro had made and eventually accept it fully.

They stayed at the table longer than usual. Even when they’d finished eating Seijuuro had insisted that they remain seated for some time together. And so there they were, Seijuuro holding Taiga close to him by the waist and the younger’s head resting against one of his shoulders. A common position of theirs, even more so now, but it was no longer of brotherly affection, but an embrace now meant for lovers. Not that Taiga considered his brother as such.

“How are your paintings coming along?” Seijuuro asked as he lovingly nuzzled Taiga’s hair. His fingers were caressing Taiga’s side with intimate touches.

“Good…”

“I have invited the man responsible for your new painting studio over for tea next week. We will discuss the blueprints in more detail and I want you to be there, seeing as it is being built for you. Your opinions are important.”

“I will.”

A short moment of silence, and then, “I have noticed that you do not smile very often these days.”

Taiga feigned ignorance.

“That’s not true.”

“It is. I do wish you would smile for me.”

His breath hitched when Seijuuro’s free hand found his chin and tilted it up.

“Now, show it to me.”

Not having the willpower to disobey or question at the moment, Taiga widened his lips and through much effort managed a small smile. It was lacking, however, and did not contain the usual genuine brightness. It seemed to be enough for Seijuuro though.

“Ah there it is,” he muttered lowly and leaned forward.

Without warning his lips were claimed and the hold around his waist tightened.

“Mmf…” he groaned in a weak protest, brows creasing together, at the slick feeling of Seijuuro’s tongue entering his mouth and the wet little sound it made as it found his own. Yesterday he had been let go with a warning after fighting back...but he had a feeling his brother wouldn’t be as lenient with him today. So he gave in fully and let the other do as he pleased. That way it would be over faster.  

Without breaking the kiss Seijuuro moved his hand from Taiga’s chin to settle on one of his cheeks, his ring-clad thumb gently stroking the cheekbone. He hummed pleasantly against the younger’s lips as he enjoyed the feeling of them against his own.

When he after a while later withdrew with a satisfied smirk, he rewarded Taiga’s obedience with a few soft pats to his head.

“Clear the table, we are done here,” he ordered Kouki who had been there the whole time and when Tagai realized that, his eyes widened and the blush on his cheeks became a shade darker. When Seijuuro addressed the servant he hadn’t even looked at him, eyes focused on his beautiful fiance as he caressed his reddened face.

“Y-yes, Seijuuro-sama,” Kouki replied hurriedly and began to take the several plates, trays and glasses off the table to place them on a small cart. Taiga was staring at his lap, too ashamed to look at the servant.

“May I leave?” he muttered and slowly lifted his head to meet his brother’s gaze. Seijuuro considered the request thoughtfully and stared at the pleading face. A teasing smile twisted his lips and he leaned closer.

“Are you not enjoying your time with me, your _fiance_?”

Startled, Taiga quickly shook his head. He didn’t want to anger the other, afraid of giving the wrong answer.

“That’s not...I mean-”

Seijuuro chuckled.

“I am teasing you. I have held you here long enough so yes, you may leave. However, I want you to meet me here a quarter before two o’clock. Understood?”

“For what?”

“Oh nothing of great importance. I merely want you to accompany me to the kennel.”

 

* * *

 

Taiga spent some time with Tatsuya after breakfast. He and Atsushi were returning to Yosen the next day so he wanted to make the most out of the remaining time they had together. They’d gone for a walk over the fields and a swim in the lake.

His childhood friend had expressed his feelings about the engagement and made it very clear of his now changed opinion of Seijuuro’s character. Taiga was relieved that there were people who agreed with him on the matter, that he wasn’t the only one against marrying his brother. The comfort and support meant a whole lot to him.

With Alex and Daiki as well, he at least had three people on his side. Kazunari had not said much due to Shintaro’s close friendship with Seijuuro, so he did not dare to outer any disapproval openly. Taiga had seen some reluctance on his face, however.

Alex had already left. She had certain errands to attend in Rakuzan and took the carriage around nine o’clock that morning. She’d promised to call later in the evening though and had assured Taiga that she would visit him more often. 

“Come with us to Yosen, Taiga and stay for a while. I am sure your brother will allow it. He is busy during most time of the day anyway, isn’t he? Surely you are lonely?”

He’d told him about Seijuuro’s new orders regarding interaction with the servants which had angered Tatsuya even further. He’d always known that the older Akashi was possessive and protective when it came to his little brother, but now he’d clearly gone too far. Isolating him, limiting his freedom to such an extent, _marrying_ him.

Taiga looked up at his friend as they sat by the lake. Going to Yosen, to get away from all this for a while, was a tempting thought.

But…

_Daiki_

Too bad he couldn’t tell Tatsuya about it.

“Thank you, Tatsuya. But I’ll be fine. I have Alex...and I doubt Sei would let me leave on such a short notice. He has told me that he wants to spend more time with me now that we’re...engaged. I might visit soon though if he lets me.”

 _‘If he lets him….’_ Tatsuya thought sadly to himself. He felt so sorry for Taiga and without saying anything pulled him in for a hug.

“I understand. If you change your mind, tell me and we’ll ask your brother. And you know you can write or call me anytime.”

Taiga nodded against his chest and returned the embrace.

When the time was nearing two o’clock Taiga met his brother in the garden as planned. He was still unsure why Seijuuro wanted him to come with him to the kennel. At first he’d thought he was going to be forced to join a hunt, to which he had been quick to ask, but that turned out to not be the case. Still, Seijuuro had not given any valid reason except that he merely wanted his company. Maybe it was due to their new relationship, to spend time together, because usually Taiga was never asked to accompany him to the kennel.

“Sei, you know how much I dislike those dogs of yours. All they do is bark and slobber…” he told the other sullenly. His choice of words caused Seijuuro’s lips to twitch with amusement.

“Considering how well you get along with Kuro, it is obviously possible to cure your fear. Perhaps our short visit will contribute to that.

“Tch…”

It wasn’t all that bad though. The kennel was where Daiki worked. Even though he could not talk to him due to Seijuuro and Kagetora’s presence, he could at least look at him. The rule stated that none of the servants except the highest ranked ones was to speak and make eye contact with him, but it said nothing about Taiga not being allowed to look at _them_. Despite all that had happened and his current predicament, he couldn’t help but smile a little as he thought back to the sweet moment with Daiki last night. After a long and slow round of love-making to make up for the time away from each other, they stayed in bed together for a good half hour. Just being with his blue-haired lover had cheered him up a great deal.

When they arrived, both Kagetora and Daiki were inside. Upon noticing the two nobles they instantly came to a halt in front of them and bowed. It was obvious that both were surprised to see Taiga there. Daiki found it very difficult not to look up.

“Seijuuro-sama, good afternoon. And of course you too, Taiga-sama. Will you be joining the hunt?”

Taiga scrunched his nose and shook his head.

“No. Hunting is vile.”

“Now, now, Taiga,” Seijuuro scolded playfully and patted him on the cheek, “we are all different when it comes to what we enjoy. There are those who dislike painting as much as you dislike dogs, for example.”

“Hmph.”

Seijuuro then turned to Kagetora.

“I believe you have been informed.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then five hounds will be enough for today.”

Kagetora bowed.

“Certainly.”

Observant as he was, Seijuuro had during the conversation noticed how Daiki stole glances at Taiga every now and then. It confirmed Mayuzumi’s theory of the boy’s interest in him. Of course, he had not doubted his loyal servant, but now he had seen it for himself. While it irked him, igniting a spark of jealousy in him and awakening his possessive side, the main reason he’d brought Taiga with him was to make it clear to the boy just how out of reach his precious younger brother was to him. To teach him how foolish he was for having wished and hoped for the impossible. 

He turned to Daiki who kept his eyes lowered.

“You. If I remember correctly, your name is Aomine.”

Not having counted on being spoken to by the master, Daiki winced and looked up with wide eyes.

“Yes!”

“Hm. You seem to find my fiance very interesting to look at.”

“A-ah I’m sorry...I did not mean to-”

Seijuuro released a soft chuckle. He masked his irritation with a smile.

“Well, I suppose I cannot blame you. He is very beautiful, is he not?” He asked and turned towards Taiga who blushed at the attention as well as being called _beautiful_.

“Sei!”

“Be quiet.”

The younger closed his mouth obediently. He did not want to cause a scene in front of the two servants.

Seijuuro began to play with a lock of Taiga’s hair as he continued to speak, his teasing eyes back on Daiki.

“Well?” He urged.

“Y-yes...very beautiful.”

Seijuuro’s eyes narrowed slightly-although only for a second- at how genuine and soft Daiki’s uttering of the last word was. But he chose to continue his speech nonetheless.

“Taiga inherited many traits from our mother, you see.”

His hand left Taiga’s hair and lowered to gently trail his jaw.

“She was beautiful too. Although… not quite as adorable as this.”

Taiga turned his head to the side in embarrassment and his brother continued.

“You agree that he is beautiful. Do you also find him adorable like I do?”

“I...don’t know. It’s not my place to-”

“Oh? So you disagree?”

“N-no that’s not-”

“Of course you don’t. Anyone would think so of him. After all…” he began to caress Taiga’s lips with his thumb, liking how they automatically parted the slightest bit at the attention “...it is a fact. My precious, _adorable_ Taiga. Am I not the most fortunate man in the world to have him in my possession? To have such a _beauty_ all to myself...”

Taiga frowned, not liking where this was going. Seijuuro was talking about him as if he was some kind of rare, exotic animal that he was showing off. A prize to prove his claim over. He felt extremely uncomfortable. To have Daiki see him like this, watch as Seijuuro did as he pleased with him...it brought him nothing but shame. Daiki was probably disgusted by his weakness. 

“Very fortunate indeed. Please accept my sincerest congratulations,” Kagetora suddenly spoke up, answering the question that seemed to have been asked to no one in particular. Seijuuro hummed but otherwise paid him no attention. There were more pressing matters to attend.

He took hold of Taiga’s chin and pulled him down for a kiss. Right in front of the two kennel servants. He entered Taiga’s mouth with his tongue and closed his eyes as he savored the taste he had come to love so much.

“Mmn,” Taiga moaned weakly against the demanding lips devouring his own. He glanced at Daiki through the corner of his eyes, recognizing anger on his lover’s face and silently tried to convey his feelings through the meeting of their gazes, to assure him that he was not returning his brother’s affection willingly. That the attention was not something he wanted. It was only a little bit, but Daiki’s expression softened as he caught the look and deciphered the meaning in it.

“Mnahh…” he gasped for air when Seijuuro released him, allowing him to breathe. He weakly looked into his brother’s eyes, still blushing, which earned him a chuckle. Seijuuro trailed his point finger over Taiga’s bottom lip as he spoke next.

“Such soft, sweet, _delicious_ lips. I do not believe I will ever get enough of them,” he murmured and sent another teasing glance Daiki’s way. Hopefully the peasant had learned his lesson. Just for good measure he swooped in for another kiss but Taiga shied away.

“Don’t…”

Seijuuro chuckled again and forced his head back by cupping his cheek.

“Are you embarrassed because we have an audience? How absolutely charming you are. But you should pay no mind to the servants, Taiga. Their presence is insignificant.”

“But to kiss me here...now in this situation is….”

“I have every right to kiss my fiance wherever and _whenever_ I please. You’d do well to remember that.”

Daiki was having a hard time controlling himself. He was _enraged._ A jealousy like no other had taken over him, clouding his mind. He wanted Seijuuro to know just how _well_ he knew Taiga and how beautiful, adorable he could be. It would no doubt wipe that smug look away from Seijuuro’s face if he was to find out. But it would also bring the two of them a lot of trouble. And no doubt punishment. His eyes were narrowed, containing suppressed anger, as the reluctantly stared at the tiled floor. He was biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself from blurting out any disrespect.

“ _Aomine.”_

The cold uttering of his name brought him out of his darkened thoughts. He flinched and felt his eyes widen, raising them to be met by the master’s stern face.

“I do not recall ever granting you permission to look at my Taiga. No matter how beautiful he is, you will keep your eyes to yourself from now on. I shall not warn you again.”

There it was. The point he had meant to make the second he entered the kennel.

“Kagetora, make sure to remind him of that whenever you can.”

“Yes, my lord,” the dog trainer replied and sent a glare of disapproval towards his subordinate. He noticed how the boy’s hands were balled into fists and that they were shaking.

“Good. Now come along, Taiga,” Seijuuro said and took hold of his fiance’s hand. They left the kennel together as they had no more business there. 

Once they were gone, Kagetora turned with a stern glare towards Daiki.

“Are you out of your mind, boy? You know the new rule concerning Taiga-sama and you broke it right in front of the master!”

“I didn’t mean to! I just...looked up by accident.”

Several times.

“Seijuuro-sama does not care whether you meant to or not. It is an order.”

“Actually the rule says that we are not supposed to talk to him and look him in the eyes. It doesn’t say that we can’t look at him anywhere else.”

Kagetora shook his head. Youths these days, they just thought they knew everything. His Riko was just the same.

“Don’t push it. That was before the engagement. Seijuuro-sama does not want your eyes on his fiance. It is understandable considering that other boy some time ago.”

Ah, the servant who had his life ruined. Daiki remembered. Wakamatsu had been vague in his explanation and so for a moment the bluenette considered asking his superior about it. But he figured he might ask Taiga first.

“Help me get the dogs ready. We have wasted enough time chatting.”

While they did that, Taiga went with his brother to the stables. On the way there he pulled his hand away from Seijuuro’s and halted in his tracks. The older also stopped walking and turned to Taiga questioningly.

“What is it?”

A determined scowl took over on Taiga’s face.

“I don’t like what you did in there. Kissing me is one thing, but to do it in front of others like that...to put me on _display_ is not something I am fine with!”

Seijuuro sighed.

“I told you not to mind the presence of servants-”

“Don’t do it again.”

A heavy silence filled the air. For a short moment Seijuuro’s eyes widened in anger at his younger brother telling him what he could and could not do. _Denying_ him what he had every right to do. But they then softened as he admitted to himself that he’d gotten carried away in the kennel. Daiki’s constant peeks had fueled his desire to claim Taiga, that was all. And he wanted to make that known to his brother.

“That boy looks at you in a way he has no right to. I merely gave him a warning.”

“Which was unnecessary. I don’t see why the servants can’t even look at me. If we are to be married, then shouldn’t you at least consider my opinions?”

A smile stretched Seijuuro’s lips. He stroke one hand through Taiga’s hair once before giving his reply.

“Of course. We will discuss this later. Now, I must attend my hunt.”

Surprised- but glad- that his brother took his demand so well, Taiga nodded. Even if it had only been a little, he’d stood up to him.

“Then I’ll go back to the house.”

“Yes. But I would like a good luck kiss before you leave.”

Rolling his eyes Taiga leaned in and gave a soft peck to Seijuuro’s lips. Thankfully it was enough and he was then permitted to leave.

Seijuuro watched his back for a moment, eyes narrowing. He’d said they were to discuss the matter concerning the servants but he had no intention of disbanding the rule for the Aomine boy. Kouki, Ryou and the female servants, perhaps. That was as far as he was willing to compromise. But not Aomine. That kennel worker was not going anywhere near his Taiga.

_“Don’t do it again.”_

To think that he’d let himself allow such a demand. Had it been anyone else he would not have accepted such disrespect. This further proved his weakness when it came to Taiga...and the love he held for him.

However…

He could not let Taiga get too far over his head. As he’d explained to the other before, he would expect obedience from him once they were married.

Such defiance would not do at all.

 

* * *

 

“You probably think I’m pathetic, don’t you?” Taiga asked sullenly as he and Daiki lay together under the sheets, holding each other after their passionate intimacy. Taiga’s face was buried in his lover’s neck as he spoke, lips touching the skin. He would definitely be limping tomorrow; Daiki had been wild that night, a result of the jealousy he'd felt earlier in the kennel.

Daiki closed his eyes with a sigh before slowly opening them again.

“No. I hate to admit it but...your brother is intimidating. When I first saw you two together I thought it was ridiculous that he was so protective of you because he was smaller than you. But then when I met him I realized how wrong I was. I don’t know what it is but when he looks at me with those eyes of his...I feel myself unable to move and speak right. Even today when he made me so _angry_ I couldn’t do anything.”

Though angry was an understatement.

Taiga understood. He had never really been scared of Seijuuro until recently. Well, not scared of him all the time, only when he gave him that _look_. When he looked at him like that his resolve would shatter and urge him to obey. It was hard to fight it.

“It’s strange. I’ve grown up with him and never really found his eyes to be intimidating. Sure, sometimes they were stern and disapproving, but I never felt threatened. But lately they seem to have the ability to do that...they’re different. Seijuuro _himself_ is different.”

Sometimes like a whole different person.

Daiki hummed.

He stared at the ceiling for a moment, a blush on his cheeks as he considered something.

“Taiga…”

The red-haired noble grunted against his neck.

“Look at me.”

He shivered at the light-hearted chuckle puffed against his skin.

“But I like it down here,” Taiga replied and gave Daiki’s neck a teasing lick.

“Tsk...I have something important to tell you.”

Sighing Taiga raised his head and obliged him, locking their gazes together.

“Yes?”

A short moment of hesitation and the darkening of Daiki’s blush before, “I don’t think I’ve told you this but...I think I l-love you. No, I’m sure of it. I mean, m-maybe it was obvious but I do! It’s not just attraction and an infatuation. I really love you.”

He’d asked Taiga to look at him, but in the middle of his speech he’d averted his eyes. He had never felt like this before and he was afraid that maybe the other didn’t return such strong feelings. Taiga obviously felt something for him, but love was a strong word. After all, how could someone like Taiga _love_ him, a lowly servant.

When the silence continued Daiki grew anxious. He forced himself to gain the courage to look at the other and the moment he turned his lips were taken into an eager kiss. He moaned, surprised by the sudden action, before closing his eyes and forced his body to relax. Taiga entered his mouth with his tongue and Daiki let him take full control.

 _‘Ah...he’s such a good kisser.’_ He thought to himself.

 _“Such soft, sweet,_ **_delicious_ ** _lips.”_

At the memory of Seijuuro’s words from earlier that day, and the way he’d kissed Taiga in front of him, his blue eyes snapped open and he began to return the kiss with more force. Having not expected the sudden change, Taiga gasped against the other’s lips. Daiki flipped him over on his back and positioned himself above without breaking the intense lip-lock. He was downright _savage_ and the young noble found himself in much need of air. He tilted his head to the side with a sharp intake of breath.

“Daiki… slow down.”

When the bluenette didn’t seem to hear him, blue eyes still wide and a little lost, and was about to kiss him again, Taiga frowned and took hold of his face.

“Calm down,” he said with a stern yet gentle tone. Almost as if talking to an upset child.

Realizing what he was doing Daiki shook his head.

“S-sorry...I got carried away.”

“I can tell. Now are you going to be still and listen to me?”

Daiki nodded, earning himself a soft look from those red eyes.

“Good. What I want to tell you is that I love you too. Very much. We might not have known each other for very long, but I know this for certain. You make me very happy.”

Heart fluttering, a dark blush spread like fire over the servant's face.

"R-really?" He asked hopefully, although not without some disbelief.

Taiga nodded. He pulled Daiki’s face closer and bestowed a light kiss to his lips, a small peck.

“Yes. Daiki, I love you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * I shall dress myself - Since Mayuzumi is Seijuuro's valet, a part of his job is to help him get ready in the mornings which also may include to help him get dressed (tie shoelaces, neckties, help him into his coat, buttoning his shirt etc...)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT!!! So I realized that i messed up in chapter 14 regarding the mother's death. For some reason I wrote that she died 3 years ago but she's been dead longer that that. She died when Seijuuro was 13 and Taiga 10. I have changed it in chapter 14, just to let you know.   
> AND thank you everyone who has stayed with me on this story and constantly show your support. <3
> 
> This is an AoKaga filled chapter. Next chapter will contain some backstory of the servant who was sent to the asylum (Should I stick with Inoue or change it to Ogiwara? Tell me what you think, i'm letting you guys decide) and in the one after that something will happen :3

 

It was raining. September had come to Teikou and with it the beginning of autumn. It was still warm enough outside as it was too early in the month for it to actually be cold. But the winds had taken a more chilly feel and the leaves were beginning to change their color ever so slightly. 

A few days had passed since Daiki’s and Taiga’s love confessions. The red-haired noble had found himself smiling a lot since then.  _ Too  _ often perhaps but it wasn’t something he could control. Seijuuro had noticed, observant as he was, and at one point confronted him about it out of curiosity. He didn’t mind it-far from it- but it was a sudden change from his earlier sulking. Taiga had merely claimed that he was filled with much inspiration for his paintings. Which was not a complete lie. Although whether his brother fully believed it or not he wasn’t sure. He would have to find a new excuse soon, probably. 

Daiki loved him. 

Just thinking the words alone made his heart soar and the fact that his lover held such feelings for him had in a way given him new strength to cope with Seijuuro and his advances; he’d found some kind of resolve and begun to think in a more optimistic, hopeful way. After all, it was still a whole year left before the wedding which meant there was plenty of time to find a way to get out of the engagement. Together with Daiki he would find a way. It was strange how love could give him such hope and happiness, but he certainly did not mind. 

He was currently reading in the library. Due to the rain he couldn’t sit outside like he prefered. Though the bleak weather had no effect on his mood as he read through the pages with bright eyes and a smile that refused to be tamed. It was a good thing he was alone; it must have looked very silly.

Daiki was just the same. He too was smiling and sighing in what could be described as a wistful manner during most parts of his days. In the early mornings when everyone were still grouchy and tired he was cheerful and compliant. Not even Wakamatsu or Mayuzumi could annoy him. Much, at least. 

Most of the servants had noticed and found it strange. Especially Mayuzumi who’d thought for sure that the bluenette would be less motivated after having his hopes and dreams regarding Taiga crushed.     


What brought this on? 

Perhaps it was merely a facade to mask his true feelings of melancholy and depression. If so, the gray haired servant found it rather amusing. Though it was probably the best thing the could do at this point if he wanted to keep his job. Not that Mayuzumi would have minded at all if the boy was fired. 

_ ‘I wonder how long it will take for him to break,’  _ he thought smugly to himself. Surely watching the masters act as lovers with each other would be too much for him to handle. 

The day passed without any complications; Daiki was doing a good job and had earned himself some praising from Kagetora. He was currently scrubbing the floor of the kennel and hummed to himself while being lost in happy thoughts. 

He looked forward to tonight. Of course, he always did, but now that he knew for sure that Taiga loved him he was more excited than usual. He wanted to talk with him, laugh with him, tease him, kiss him… and make love with him. Oh how he wished they could be together without having to hide it. 

If only he was a noble. 

_ ‘I love you too, Daiki’ _

His smile widened - if possible- and felt his cheeks heat up. 

That night when he came into Taiga’s room, he was informed that the portrait was finished and his lover wanted to show it to him. Excited about the news, Daiki was happy to oblige.    


Taiga’s painting room was on the third floor, just above his bedroom, so in order to get there they had to walk up the stairs. It had always been risky, dangerous even, because there was always the possibility of either bumping into Kuro who upon hearing them could start barking, or making too much noise in their steps. The dog didn’t always sleep by Taiga’s door, after all, as he sometimes preferred his master’s quarters or somewhere else on that floor. And sometimes the youngsters were so excited by the danger and each other that they found themselves in unstoppable fits of laughter that could very well be heard should someone close by be awake. 

Also, now that Seijuuro was back the risk of getting caught was even greater. The older Akashi’s room was on the same level as Taiga’s but in the opposite side of the corridor. 

Taiga found it rather exciting that his brother was sleeping not too far away while he enjoyed himself with Daiki. In a way, he was defying his brother without him knowing and he liked it. 

They reached their destination without any complications and once inside Taiga locked the door behind them. He had finished the portrait after breakfast that morning and was very happy about the result. He just hoped Daiki would like it as well. 

With his lover in tow he went up to the portrait and removed the white sheet covering it. The room was quiet for a moment as Daiki took his time to observe the work. There were many things to take in, but the first feature his eyes landed on was himself. 

Half lying on the white sofa with his legs stretched out halfway, slightly folded at the knees. He was leaning on his side against the armrest and had an elbow propped up, cheek resting on his closed fist. His other hand was holding the thin, white sheet of which one end covered his lap while the other fell off the sofa in the middle and created a small cascade of white silk that pooled to the floor. The sheet was adorned with several red rose pedals. A red that very much resembled Taiga’s features. 

Behind him the big window revealed a starry night sky and bright moon; the light created an almost mysterious aura around him and pulled up on either side of the window were a pair of velvet curtains. Then there were the candles; blue and white on either side of him. 

All in all, it was beautiful. 

His eyes then zoomed in on his face. It was near identical to his own save for the expression. Those dark eyes were slightly hooded and soft, lips curved in a small yet playful smile as he looked at the painter, no, at  _ Taiga  _ up front _.  _ The expression showed no hints of forced effort or strain; the look on his face was real and genuine.

Daiki could see it but he also  _ knew  _ it to be true because he remembered how much he’d enjoyed looking at Taiga while he worked. Though a few times his lover had scolded him for looking a bit too “happy” which had forced a laugh out of him and thus, as Taiga expressed it,  _ ruined  _ the perfect curve of his lips that he was trying to draw. 

“I look great,” he finally said and thus broke the silence.

Taiga, who had been fiddling with the hem of his shirt nervously, frowned and looked up at his smirking lover.   

“Is that all you have to say?”

“But it’s true. I look really damn  _ good _ .” When he saw the face of his lover he chuckled and added, “don’t pout.”

Appalled, Taiga’s eyes widened and he shook his head with an even deeper scowl. 

“I am not pouting!”

“Well, not  _ anymore _ , but you were.”

Before the redhead could utter his protest Daiki leaned down to nuzzle one side of his face. 

“I like it very much. It’s beautiful.”

Taiga’s frown softened a little bit. 

“See? Was that so hard?” He asked with a snort and gently wrapped his arms around his lover’s waist. He smiled when Daiki chuckled against his neck, the puff of air making him squirm. It was the only answer he received so he took the time to thank the other. 

“Thank you for letting me paint you in the first place.” 

He delivered a kiss to the side of Daiki’s neck to finish off his words to which the other hummed pleasantly. 

“What will you do with it now?”

Taiga hummed thoughtfully and glanced at the painting. 

“I haven’t thought of a good place to keep it, so it will remain here for now. I’m keeping the room locked so it’s fine. It’s a shame I have to hide it though…”

He would have loved to put it up on the wall in his room where he could always look at it.

His attention was brought back to Daiki who’d begun to nibble on one of his earlobes. It forced a giggle out of him and when those teeth scraped a bit harder he jolted. His ears had always been a sensitive spot for him, which Daiki had found out just recently

Daiki released him with a wide smirk.    


“I love those reactions of yours.”

“Mmm,” Taiga hummed and lowered his hand to palm the semi-hardness in the other’s pants, successfully earning him a gasp, “and I love  _ your  _ reactions when I touch you  _ here _ . It takes so little effort.”

Teasingly he began stroking the bulge that hardened further at the attention and with a satisfied smirk watched as Daiki’s eyes darkened along with his blush. 

“Taiga…”

“Mm? Do you want me, Daiki?”

“Tsk...you know I do. Don’t look so mmn...smug.”

With a chuckle the young noble leaned in to mutter into the other’s ear. 

“Then take me. You have my permission.”

And so they hurried back to Taiga’s bedroom. 

 

* * *

Taiga gasped, head thrown back and body trembling as he reached his climax. He had learned to control his voice during love-making with Daiki as he now was used to the feeling of him-and the intense pleasure he could bring - as well as become more endurant. Now when Seijuuro was back it was even more important to stay quiet, after all. 

He panted into the pillow beneath him while his lover kept pounding into him from behind to reach his own release. This was the third position they had tried since the start of their relationship.

  
“Ahh...Taiga,” Daiki moaned into the redhead’s neck as he came, spilling inside his lover. Once he’d come down from his high and his breathing evened out, he pulled out and laid down next to Taiga. Their eyes met as they turned to face each other and shared a comfortable silence that lasted for a few minutes. 

“So…” the servant began with a small smile and scooted closer, “I’m curious, now that we’ve tried some different positions, which one do you like the most?”

A thoughtful look crossed the noble’s face as he considered the question. 

“Hmm...I like all of them obviously, but I think I prefer it when I ride you.”

He chuckled at the surprised look it earned him and reached out to play with some of those soft, blue strands of hair. 

“Surprised?”

“A little bit,” Daiki admitted and his eyes fluttered closed as those fingers moved to massage his scalp. 

“How about you?”

“All of them, obviously. I can’t choose one.”

Taiga’s hand stilled. 

“What? You made  _ me  _ choose one,” he said with a frown which deepened at the teasing smirk sent at him. 

“I didn’t make you do anything. I asked which one you like the most and you answered. If you’d liked all of them the most then you could have answered that.”

“But you  _ knew _ I was going to choose one.”

“I did, yes.”

Taiga took one of the pillows and hit Daiki with it.

  
“That’s not fair! Now you have to choose one!”

“I’ll pass.”

A surprised scoff left him when Taiga suddenly jumped on him, pushing him down on his back and straddled his hips. His wrists were pinned to the mattress on each side of his head. As he looked up at the annoyed redhead his smirk widened.

“Don’t look so smug. Now say  _ one _ .”

“Fine…”

As he felt the grip around his wrists loosen he quickly reversed their positions. A startled gasp left Taiga at the sudden movement. He was just about to fight back when Daiki answered him. 

“Like this. Because I can see all of you this way.”

“Hmph, should have said so from the start.”

“Well,” Daiki chuckled and bent down to the other’s face, “I like to tease you sometimes.”

And with that he closed the gap. The frown that adorned Taiga’s face eventually softened and he began to return the kiss with much eagerness. 

He loved these moments. It was the one thing he had to look forward to almost everyday. Even if they chose to not have sex on certain days, they still shared lighter intimacy and talked, which was just as precious to him. When he was with Daiki he could forget about Seijuuro and everything that had to do with him; the engagement, the future trips to boring Seirin mines, the negativity he felt during the days and of course, the loneliness. To have someone love him like Daiki did, and return said feelings just as much, was making him happier than he’d ever been before.    


“Ahh…” he panted when Daiki withdrew from his lips. They were both equally out of breath. 

Daiki moved his mouth down to Taiga’s choker, dragging his lips over the black band before deciding to remove it. As beautiful as it was on his lover, it was in the way. He reached around it until he found the clasp in the back and undid it. Taiga didn’t protest, knowing what he was up to and watched with a small smile as his lover placed the choker on one of the nightstands. The rest of Taiga’s lingerie stayed on, however.

Daiki then splayed himself out so that he was lying on top of the other, their naked bodies pressing together, and started kissing his way up Taiga’s neck. He slowly dragged one of his hands down the redhead’s thigh until it found the garter. His fingers began to play with the ruffled lace as his lips dragged themselves over a fluttering pulse. 

“Mmn...Daiki,” Taiga moaned softly and tilted his head to side to expose his neck for the other’s better access. His hands slowly traveled down his lover’s back, tracing the shoulder blades and spine until they landed on a firm behind. He gave the buttocks a squeeze, eliciting a pleased groan against the skin of his neck. 

“Daiki, would you ever...let me take you?” He asked and squeezed harder to emphasize his point. 

Slowly pulling away from the other’s throat Daiki looked at him with a small smile. 

“Yes.”

At this point there was almost nothing he wouldn’t do for him.

He resisted the urge to laugh at the way those red eyes brightened at his reply. He leaned down to nuzzle the other’s hair. His hand had left the garter and was slowly caressing its way back up Taiga’s thigh.    


“But Daiki…” Taiga began and averted his eyes to the side in slight embarrassment, “Y-you will have to show me how.”

“Yes don’t worry. I’ll guide you through it. We’ll take it slow.”

Taiga nodded and smiled up at him. 

“Good. Not tonight though...I’m exhausted.”

“Ohh? Am I that good?”

With a sweet smile Taiga urged him closer by crooking his finger. Daiki eagerly followed the motion and leaned down until their faces were mere breaths away, expecting a kiss. 

“Daiki…” his lover whispered seductively, making him shiver. 

“Mmm?”

Smile still in place Taiga raised his hand and delivered a flick to the other’s nose. 

“Don’t get too full of yourself.”

The impact hadn’t hurt, but the suddenness of it surprised him and out of instinct he flinched back and covered his nose with one of his hands. At the chuckle it earned him his eyes narrowed and looked down to meet playful red ones. At the sight of them, however, whatever annoyance he’d felt vanished and he mirrored the other’s smile with his own. 

“Daiki, tell me you love me. I want to hear it.”

Still in a bit of a playful mood, the servant couldn’t help but ask, “is that an order?” And the answer he received was uttered in the same manner. 

“Yes.”

“As you wish,  _ Taiga-sama…” _

His choice of words earned him a roll of the other’s eyes and he resisted the urge to chuckle, getting started on his assigned task. 

“I love you,” he said sweetly and delivered a soft peck to the half-parted lips in front of him. 

Taiga hummed as the words brought him much satisfaction. 

“Again.”

A kiss to his jaw. 

“I love you.”

“One more time.” This time Taiga’s breathing was ragged. 

A kiss to his collarbones. 

“I  _ love _ you, Taiga. Very much.”

Taiga moaned, louder than he’d meant for, which surprised the blue haired servant. Did those words really have such a strong effect on him?

“Ahh Daiki, I think...I might be up for another round, after all,” he said breathlessly. 

Daiki stilled and raised his head to look at him with an arched brow. 

“Weren’t you  _ exhausted _ ?”

“Yes. But I want you so badly right now.”

Eyes widening at those words, Daiki swallowed thickly in his throat and didn’t move for a short moment as Taiga propped himself up on his elbows and leaned up to give him a soft, slow kiss. When he pulled away his red eyes looked into his blue ones pleadingly. 

Of course, there was no chance of him refusing such a request. He replied by nodding and smiled. He was just about to swoop down for another kiss when his lover stopped him.    


“Wear the choker.”

“Hah?”

“Wear it when you fuck me.”

Daiki had no idea where all this was coming from so suddenly. Not that he was complaining by any means. The more time they spent together and the more they had sex, Taiga seemed to grow bolder. He was truly becoming a real minx in the bedroom. He wondered what he’d be like when he was the one on the giving end. He wanted to find out.    


“Oh? Didn’t you want to change positions?” He asked but did as told and reached for the choker necklace on the nightstand. As he put it on Taiga answered him. 

“Yes but not tonight. You said it yourself, when that happens we will take our time and I can’t do that now. I’m too  _ impatient _ .” 

To further prove his point he eagerly spread his legs wider and arched his back slightly. It was then that Daiki noticed that Taiga was hard. To be honest, he was rather impatient himself. 

“I got it…” he muttered while looking at his lover’s exposed lower half intently. 

At the sight of the choker around Daiki’s throat, Taiga purred. The red ruby was a nice contrast against the blue of his eyes and hair. 

Red. 

_ His  _ color on Daiki. 

Although…

A black ribbon with a sapphire would be nice too. 

They kissed again, hard and deep for a long moment and when they pulled away there was a thin string of saliva between them that was broken by Taiga who licked his lips.

“I love you very much too,” he whispered and made himself more comfortable on the mattress, ready to be taken once more. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have put up some more pictures on tumblr regarding Seijuuro's wardrobe in this fic. The pics are examples of clothes I imagine him wearing https://www.tumblr.com/blog/makkuro94


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, chapter 19. This is a flashback/ Backstory chapter containing the events that led to the servant Inoue being sent away to an asylum. 
> 
> Also! I can't promise that there will be a chapter next week as university will get a bit busy but I will try!

 

**About Three Months Prior**

 

The first time servant Tomoya Inoue interacted with Taiga was on a day in early May. He had only worked as a footman* in the Akashi manor for about two weeks and was thus still in training. It was an hour before lunchtime and Inoue was carrying a few boxes of silverware that he was to polish in the kitchen. Plates, cutlery, trays and cups.

In his inexperience, the load in his arms heavy, he stumbled forward and crashed into something. Or rather someone. He could feel a heartbeat calmer than his own but still not quite steady and when he looked up he found a pair of red eyes tinted with worry peering down at him. It was none other than Taiga himself.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

Inoue did not reply, or rather _couldn’t,_  as he was completely taken aback by the beauty in front of him. He had seen the young master before of course, but never this close. When they crashed into each other the piled up boxes of silverware had almost fallen out of the servant’s hands but Taiga had managed to catch them amidst the chaos.

When the noble distanced himself with a step back, Inoue realized that he’d been asked a question and stuttered out a reply.

“Y-yes! Forgive me!”

Taiga smiled reassuringly and it was so beautiful in the servant’s eyes that he nearly dropped what he was holding again.

“Do not worry about that. You are new here, are you not?”

Inoue nodded.

“Then no one can expect you to not make mistakes. Here, let me take some of that,” Taiga said and took one of the boxes into his hands.

“I couldn’t possibly let you do that, Taiga-sama!”

“But it looks heavy.”

“But-”

Taiga interrupted him with another smile and shake of his head.

“I am sure it can be allowed just this once.”

And so they went to the kitchen together under a light-hearted conversation. Or it was more Taiga asking him some questions and Inoue answering them with nervous stuttering. 

After the event Inoue had not been able to think about anything else for the whole day. Some of the other servants had noticed the strange behavior and by dinner time, Riko asked him what it was about. And the answer they received was met by a tense silence.

“Taiga-sama is very kind, isn’t he? And so beautiful…”

After a moment it was Harasawa who spoke first.

“You better keep such thoughts to yourself. It is most unbefitting of you. Also, it will be most troublesome if the master* or Seijuuro-sama hears you speak of such things.”

“Eh? But it’s true. Why would they get angry for that?”

Wakamatsu who sat next to him tsked.

“You’re really dumb, aren’t you? Of course they’d get angry! As a servant you can’t say things like that about the people you work for. Especially since they’re nobles!”

“W-who are you calling dumb, you monkey?”

The two of them began to argue, shouting and eventually throwing food at each other. It had happened several times during the past few days; the boys clearly did not get along very well. So to intervene and make them stop had been a tad difficult but when Harasawa raised his voice, which he rarely did, they stopped and reluctantly went back to their meals.

Mayuzumi later told Seijuuro about the conversation.

 

* * *

 

The second time Inoue spoke with Taiga was also one he wasn’t proud of. Once again it was his clumsiness that triggered it.

A week after their first meeting - during that time the servant had thought a lot about the young master whenever he could- Inoue had stepped in for Kouki who was down with a cold. He was to help serve breakfast for the family that morning and when he’d questioned this in a weak protest, claiming that he still wasn’t ready for such responsibility, Harasawa had simply told him that he “must learn”.

As Taiga, Seijuuro and their father ate, the nervous servant stood at the side. He tried to keep his eyes from wandering but it was difficult; to watch Taiga was to him a very tempting thought.  Several times he stole a quick glance at him and became lost in thought. Unconsciously his cheeks became heated with a blush when he observed the way Taiga’s lips closed around the rim of his tea cup. It was therefore not surprising that he was startled when the Akashi senior suddenly asked for some more tea.

“Y-yes!” He’d stammered a little too loudly and refilled the older man’s cup with trembling hands. He managed without failure but what he had not counted on was Taiga addressing him.

“Oh if it is not too much trouble I would like to have some more as well, please.”

He was so polite. Even to a servant.

“Of course!”

Inoue hurried over to Taiga’s side and filled his cup. Because of the close proximity he caught the familiar scent that he’d felt the last time when he crashed into him. It was very pleasant and he had to resist the urge to lean closer to get a stronger whiff of it.

When the cup was filled Taiga took it between his fingers and his hand brushed against Inoue’s glove-clad one. It wasn’t skin-to-skin, but the sudden contact startled the servant who flinched back. His hip collided with the table and one of the plates with some sliced ham fell to the floor with a crash. Embarrassment and horror made themselves known on his face in the form of wide eyes and heated cheeks of bright red.

“I’m so sorry!” He exclaimed and bowed low to the three men at the table.

Their reactions differed. Taiga immediately got up from his chair and went up to the horrified servant.

“Are you hurt?” He asked worriedly, not paying the now broken plate on the floor any mind. The sound of the boy’s body colliding with the table had been quite loud, after all. Surely it would bruise.

“No. I-I will clean this up immediately!” Inoue quickly replied and opted for the broom that stood leaned against one of the corners of the room; it had been put there for situations like these. It was more efficient that way as servants would not have to run to the kitchen or broom closet to get one out.

The father did not pay it much attention. He merely grunted and peered over the edge of the newspaper for a second before returning to reading it with a shrug. During his many years as the master of the household he had seen many inexperienced servants who made similar mistakes. The boy would learn eventually. Besides, what was a plate or two? 

Seijuuro was not amused, however, and sent a disapproving glare towards the servant and his brother who was still standing up. His eyes lowered to the shattered plate and narrowed. He didn’t say anything though and with a scoff returned his attention to his food.

“To be honest, I don’t like these plates. I always thought they were ugly,” Taiga whispered with a reassuring smile and patted the boy on the shoulder once he was back at the table with broom in hand. Inoue blushed and quickly lowered his head. He began to swipe the shattered pieces with the broom and Taiga went back to his seat.

Once done cleaning up, the servant bowed and with another apology left the room on shaky legs to throw the debris away.

“Leaving your seat was unnecessary, Taiga,” his father said without taking his eyes off the newspaper.

“I felt sorry for him. Didn’t you see how scared he was? He is still new, after all.”

“Yes, yes. I hold no ill will for the boy. As you say he is new, and also young, so mistakes are bound to happen. But as you saw he was fully capable of cleaning up without your help. It is his job, not yours.”

Seijuuro set his cup down and tsked.

“I do not see why this household should hire inexperienced servants to begin with. Especially with what we pay them.”

“But how would servants become experienced if no one hired them? You more than anyone should know that practice makes perfect, yes?”

Before Seijuuro could answer, eyes now widened the slightest bit in anger towards the old man, Taiga piped in. He wore a light frown on his face and when he spoke he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Sei, it is easy for you to say that. I’m sure you would make many mistakes if you did the same things they do.”

A humorless snort was uttered by the older brother.

“But I am not a servant, Taiga. I have no use or need for such... _skills_. To perform such tasks would never cross my mind.”

“I am just saying that it is probably a difficult job. I spoke to Inoue last week and he works really hard along with the others.”

That caught Seijuuro’s attention. He turned fully to his younger brother with an expression of disapproval.

“Oh did you?”

He did not like it. It was painfully obvious that the new servant had taken a liking to his younger brother. The fool thought he’d been discreet with his glances. Also, Mayuzumi had informed him of the boy expressing how _kind_ and _beautiful_ he found Taiga to be. His fingers holding his teacup tightened as he was hit by a spark of jealousy.

Unaware of what was transpiring in Seijuuro’s mind, Taiga nodded to answer the question and took a piece of omelette into his mouth.

Their father released a sigh and put down his newspaper, considering himself finished with it.

“I wonder if you shall ever grow out of that foolish habit of befriending new servants, Taiga,” he said and finished what was left of his tea.

With a knowing smile Taiga replied, “Probably not. Even if you disapprove, I see nothing wrong with it.”

“After all these years,” their father sighed again, “...you truly are a stubborn one. Just like your mother.”

Seijuuro couldn’t agree more.

 

* * *

 

 

“Good morning, Taiga-sama!” Inoue chirped cheerfully as the young master hesitantly stepped into the kitchen. After a week since the breakfast incident, the new servant had improved greatly and not made any more mistakes since then.

“Good morning,” Taiga answered and glanced around the nearly empty kitchen. Ryou and Mitobe were there, along with Inoue of course. He looked slightly troubled with the way he scratched the back of his neck and eyes averted to the side.

Ryou who was preparing a dough for today’s lunch, instantly shot up from the task and bowed.

“A-ah what may I do for you, Taiga-sama?”

It was obvious that the young master was uncomfortable with the formality, something that Inoue had noticed quite early during his time working for the family. He was also much more willing to interact with the servants and did so in a friendly, carefree manner.

“I am taking Shiro out for a ride and wanted to ask if I may take an apple to feed him with.”

“Of course, let me-”

Inoue interrupted the cook’s answer and with a big smile had already made his way to the pantry.

“I’ll get it for you!”

He made a quick search of the pantry before finding the basket filled with big red apples. With a satisfied nod upon his discovery he took one and practically ran up to the awaiting noble he had grown so fond of.

“Thank you very much,” Taiga said with a smile and took the apple offered to him. It was so beautiful the way that smile parted those soft-looking lips. Inoue found himself wondering how they would feel against his if-

 _‘No no no!’_ His mind lectured him and he shook his head. He was about to get back to work but his eyes caught sight of the loose, crinkled fabric around Taiga’s shirt collar.

“Ah, your necktie is…” 

 _A mess_ , was the first that came to mind but of course saying that was not an option. He cleared his throat.

“...a bit off.”

Lowering his head to look at said necktie Taiga smiled sheepishly.

“Oh...is it that bad?”

Personally, the young nobleman thought it was pretty good.

“I-it’s not bad per se, but perhaps a little disheveled. Would you allow me to fix it?”

A brief look of surprise crossed the noble’s face before being replaced with a grateful smile.

“Oh absolutely. Please do.”

With a nod Inoue drew closer and carefully took hold of the red silk and undid the messy knot. He swallowed silently in his throat at the close proximity; he could feel Taiga’s warmth and scent again. And now with the knot undone, he was given a close view of the other’s throat. He hoped that the heat on his face wasn’t too dark a blush.

“D-do you not have a valet to help you with these things?” He asked while performing his task.

Taiga shrugged.

“No. I personally do not feel the need for one. I can dress myself.”

_‘But not tie your neckties properly’_

“I see.”

If he was Taiga’s valet, he would be close to him everyday. Wake him up in the mornings, help him get dressed, help him after baths and accompany him on errands. It was a position he would very much like to have. A shame the young master had no desire for one.

Once done, Inoue stepped back and nodded at a work well done by himself. Once again Taiga smiled.

“Thank you. Now I’ll be spared from another one of Seijuuro’s lectures. Well, I better be off. Bye!”

“Bye…” Inoue muttered and looked after him with half lidded, dreaming eyes.

 

* * *

 

As more time passed Inoue continued to interact with Taiga, helping him with small things - such as tying his neckties and cravats- and talking to him whenever the opportunity arose. As a now fully trained footman, he along with Kouki and Koganei served at the table. This of course meant that the young, brown haired servant was able to look at Taiga even more often. While the masters ate, the footmen stood by the wall, awaiting orders of more drinks or food, and all the while Inoue would steal looks at the youngest Akashi.

Seijuuro of course noticed this. The way that servant _constantly_ looked at Taiga, the way he smiled as he watched him, the way he would try to ‘accidentally’ touch him when pouring him more wine or plating up more food for him...the way he would subtly lean closer to smell his hair.

He had also seen his brother interact with the boy on several occasions in the form of lighthearted conversation, during which Inoue always seemed to blush.

_Unacceptable._

No servant had the right to look, not to mention _touch_ what was his in such a manner.

His.

No matter what their father said, Taiga _did_ belong to him.* It was only a matter of time, planning...and patience.

Now, this troublesome servant. Seijuuro knew he would have to give him a warning, which he did the next day after the thought occurred to him. He and Taiga had been out horse riding all morning and returned in time for lunch. After leaving their horses to Wakamatsu they crossed the green lawns, talking about the latest book Taiga was currently reading, when Inoue caught sight of them and, much to Seijuuro’s displeasure, interrupted their conversation.

"Oh Taiga-sama!" The servant exclaimed merrily but upon seeing the older brother tensed for a second before bowing respectfully.

“Seijuuro-sama.”

Unsurprisingly Seijuuro didn’t bother to return the greeting. He did look at the servant though; his eyes void of any emotion as he gave the boy a long stare. A nervous lump formed in Inoue’s throat and felt himself unable to look away. His legs had begun to tremble. But when Taiga spoke up, the spell was broken.

“Hello Tomoya. Are you on a break?”

“Ah yes! Or well, it’s about to end soon. I just wanted to get some fresh air, especially since the weather is so nice.”

Taiga nodded.

“Very nice, indeed. Perfect for a morning ride.”

“Oh I can imagine. Did it go well?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good. Well, lunch is almost ready to be prepared for you so I better get inside.”

“Oh I see. Then I’ll have to make my bath a quick one. Excuse me.”

They said goodbye for the time being and Taiga made to leave, but upon noticing that his brother wasn’t following him, he stopped and looked back.

“Seijuuro* are you coming?”

With a gentle smile the older answered him.

“Yes, I will be there shortly. There is something I wish to discuss with Inoue first regarding lunch. A request, that is all. No need to wait for me.”

Taiga didn’t question and with a shrug began to make his way to the mansion. Once he was out of hearing Seijuuro turned his attention to the boy who had once again become nervous in his presence.

“I know that as a servant you may not be very educated but surely you can at least understand me when I speak, yes?”

The condescending tone, along with what the words implied about him made the servant feel a wave of unwanted embarrassment. In the presence of this man, he truly felt like someone of lower value -an inferior being - and for a moment believed that to be true.  

“Yes…” he replied with his head lowered.

“Good. Though just to make sure I shall tell you this plainly, in simple terms; you are not to speak to Taiga unless necessary and you will keep your eyes off him. Is that clear?”

Eyes snapping open in shock Inoue looked up and shivered due to the expression he was met with.

“Eh? I d-don’t, I mean, I never meant to-”

“I do not wish to hear your excuses. You have no need for them anymore. I gave you an order and you shall follow it, simple as that.”

Inoue knew better than to argue against one of the masters and nodded, although a bit reluctantly.

“Yes.”

Pleased with the obedience Seijuuro smiled in an almost friendly way as if the conversation never happened in the first place. He gave a small pat to the boy's shoulder.

“Good. Now excuse me.”

And with that he left.

 

* * *

 

After the warning Inoue began to avoid Taiga. Or at least, he did his best to. Sometimes talking to him was inevitable. After all, it would be rude not to answer when being spoken to, especially as a servant. But he no longer started conversations with the youngest Akashi and only spoke when necessary. His mind, however, was beyond Seijuuro’s control and so the servant still allowed himself to think about Taiga.

Everything went on as it should; Seijuuro was pleased and Taiga, while slightly disappointed, had accepted the change in the servant’s attitude towards him. He thought that maybe it was due to a busy schedule now that he was a full time footman.

One evening, however, something happened that changed Inoue’s peaceful days as a servant of the Akashi family. The event also caused Seijuuro’s tolerance to snap like a twig.

Their father was in Seirin for business, visiting the mines, and had been gone for a few days. This in turn left Seijuuro in charge and one evening he and Taiga were hosting a party for some friends. Inoue had been walking around with trays of drinks along with Kouki and Koganei. It was a pleasant evening and everyone had a good time. Taiga, however, had it a little too good. He and Kazunari made some silly bet that the youngest Akashi lost and as punishment had to drink a little more wine than he could handle.

Drunk and barely able to keep himself on his feet, Inoue had offered to help him get to his room. Seijuuro would have done so himself but had at that moment been occupied with a phone call in a different room and therefore not aware of the situation.

“Taiga-sama, you are quite heavy…” Inoue grunted through his teeth as he tried to get a giggling Taiga up the stairs.

“D-did you see *hic* Sayori’s hat? Tehehe looked like a ….*hic* hmm, stuffed goose! Yes, that’s it! Or maybe a b-badger. I can’t decide...”

The struggle went on for a good ten minutes before they finally reached Taiga’s room. Inoue was exhausted; the young master was taller and bigger than himself thus making him a heavy weight to carry. Especially since he at the moment was incapable of walking by himself. Without the servant’s arm around him he would have crashed to the floor immediately.

“Only a little further, Taiga-sama,” he grunted as they entered the room and pulled a nearly unconscious Taiga towards the bed.

“Mm…”

One of Taiga’s feet made a misstep, causing him to stumble and fall to the floor. It happened so suddenly and due to Inoue’s lack of strength -and surprise- he fell with him. He landed on top of the drunk noble who didn’t even seem that aware of what had happened.

“Ouch…” Inoue muttered and straightened himself. It was then he noticed the position they were in and his eyes widened. He was laying between Taiga’s legs and his hands on the floor on either side of his head. He could feel the other’s breath puffing against his face, those red eyes nearly closed all the way and completely lost in a drunken haze.

He gulped.

“T-Taiga-sama, are you alright?”

Taiga didn’t answer. His lips parted and a soft ramble of incoherent nonsense came out. 

Those lips. They were so close. All Inoue had to do was lean down a bit and -

He shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts. There was no way he could do that to someone in that state. Even if it would probably be his only chance, it wasn’t right.

Downstairs Seijuuro was done with his phone call and when he returned to the parlor he instantly took notice of his brother’s absence.

“Kazunari, where is Taiga?” He decided to ask the younger’s friend. Kazunari was quite drunk himself, although not nearly as much, and giggled as he spoke.

“One of the servants is bringing him to his room since he’s sooo drunk. Couldn’t even *hic* stand up by himself.”

Instantly Seijuuro’s eyes narrowed. He had his suspicions about who the servant helping his brother was but just to make sure made a quick sweep of the room. And as he’d thought, Inoue was missing.

He wasted no time and with brisk steps made his way upstairs. Kuro, who had been resting on the floor among the chatter of the guests in the parlor, instantly got to his feet and followed. Quickly he caught up to his master and walked obediently by his side.

The door to Taiga’s room was partly open, the light from a lamp inside peeking out into the hall. Seijuuro pushed it open all the way.

“Taiga, how are-”

He stilled at the threshold at the sight in front of him.

On the floor Inoue lay between his brother’s legs, on top of him, and seemed to have a good time watching Taiga’s sleepy face. He certainly didn’t seem to be in a hurry to get up either.

Upon hearing the older brother Inoue immediately turned to the door to face him, eyes wide and horrified.

“S-Seijuuro-sama!” He exclaimed and flinched back from Taiga, knowing how the position must look to the other.

“I-I swear this is not...he is drunk and I t-tried to help him and he was he-heavy! He fell and I couldn’t-”

“Get out.”

Tensing at the low, dark voice as well as the look he was given, Inoue swallowed thickly in his throat and hurriedly scrambled to his feet. He bowed before running out of the room. Before the door was closed behind him, he heard Seijuuro address his dog whom the servant had not seen at first.

The dog barked and he let out a startled squeak. When he tried to pass Kuro growled, revealing his teeth and Inoue understood then that he was meant to stay there until Seijuuro came back.

This was not good. In fact, it was a catastrophe.

Furious and eager to punish the foolish boy, Seijuuro wanted to help Taiga into bed as quickly as possible. He went down on his haunches and softly shook his brother.

“Taiga.”

A grunt of protest.

“We must get you into bed.”

Slowly red eyes blinked open and settled on him.

“Sei? Everything’s spinning.”

“I know, but you have to help me. I cannot carry you by myself. You will have to try and stand up, I’ll help you.”

Taiga nodded and tried to get up, groaning as it caused his head to spin even more. Seijuuro took hold of his arm and together they slowly stood up. Taiga’s arm was placed around Seijuuro’s shoulders and his waist was taken hold of by one of his brother’s own arms. 

“One step at a time.”

“Mm…”

When Taiga finally collapsed on his bed he crawled up to remove the covers. His now clumsy fingers fiddled with the blanket and when it refused to obey him he frowned and made a frustrated sound. Sighing Seijuuro helped him, removing the blanket and fluffling up the pillows.

“There. Now go to sleep. I shall have some water brought to you.”

“Thank you, Sei,” Taiga muttered and made himself comfortable. It only took a few seconds before he was out like a light.

A fond smile spread out on Seijuuro’s lips. He pulled up the blanket so that it covered his brother up to the shoulders and bent down to kiss him on the forehead.

When he straightened up his eyes narrowed, his thoughts now back to the servant outside.

When he left the room he softly closed the door behind him before slowly turning to the trembling boy guarded by Kuro.

“Come,” he commanded and began to walk toward his father’s office -soon it would be his - and Inoue who was in no position to disobey followed him. He was terrified; it was obvious what the young master thought of him, what he’d done, and he hoped he would be given a chance to explain himself. He did not know Seijuuro very well but after that time when he’d given him a warning about Taiga, he knew that he wasn’t as kind and lenient towards the servants as his younger brother.

When they entered the office he flinched at the sound of the door closing behind them.

Finding the silence as his cue to speak, Inoue hurriedly made an attempt to clear the misunderstanding.

“Seijuuro-sama, please-”

But his speech was interrupted, taken to an abrupt stop as he was slapped across the face.

“Do not speak.”

Kuro growled and lay down by the door. His ears flattened against his head as he observed the servant with his dark eyes. 

Inoue was quick to close his mouth and bowed his head, eyes on the floor.

Without looking at the servant Seijuuro went to take a seat in his father’s office chair. He set his elbows down on the table and linked his fingers in front of him so that they hid the lower part of his face from sight. It was an intimidating look since his eyes were so intense. They almost seemed to glow in the dimly lit room. Even when he first started working at the estate, Inoue had been scared of those eyes.

“I rarely find myself as upset as I am in this moment. Right now there are so many things I wish to do to you and none of them are pleasant.”

Inoue opened his mouth to plead for a chance to explain but upon the other’s warning glare he stopped himself.

“It is not solely tonight’s incident that infuriates me. I thought I made myself clear the last time we spoke; that the meaning of my warning was rather obvious but it seems you lack the intelligence required to understand. Unless, of course, you went against my orders on _purpose_.”

Oh how he loathed to explain simple matters to slow, dense peasants. Locking his eyes with the other’s like vicious hooks, he continued.

“I have seen the way you look at him and how you constantly attempt to get close to him. You’re not the first to, either. But none of them ever went quite this far. I cannot allow such behavior around my precious Taiga, you see.”

Again the servant gulped.

“So you thought you could take advantage of his drunken state to satisfy your desires and fantasies, hm?”

“N-no! Please let me explain!”

“Explain? There is no need for that. I understand perfectly.”

His frown darkened.

“You want him. You have undoubtedly dreamt about him and…,” his face showed disgust as he uttered the next word, “ _pleasured_ yourself while thinking about having him, _taking him_ . You, a mere commoner. A _servant_. That alone is enough to show your incompetence, disloyalty...and that you have no place here. No place near Taiga.”

“T-this is only a misunderstanding! Taiga-sama was, as you saw, very drunk and I only wanted to help him! I could not manage to hold us both up so-”

“So you deny that you have such feelings for him? That you haven’t thought of him in the way I previously described? Surely when you found yourself in that position above him the thought of taking him crossed your mind at least once. You mean to say that I am _wrong_?”

“...”

“Answer. And I will have you know that I do not take kindly to being lied to.”

“I-I think Taiga-sama is kind...a-and beautiful. There have been times when I *gulp* thought about him. But I would never do such things to him! I know I have no right to him!”

When Seijuuro didn’t answer, the servant got down on his knees and bowed as low as he could.

“Please give me another chance! I swear I will never speak with him again! I would gladly accept another position where I won’t be anywhere near him.”

Still no reply. Only a cold stare.

“Please,” the servant tried again, his now teary eyes wide and desperate. He began to crawl on all fours around the desk and stopped in front of the chair the master was sitting on. Seijuuro spun the chair to face him, one leg crossed over the other. His expression showed hints of his distaste at the sight below him.

Pathetic.

“I need this job. I’ve lost two before coming here. M-my sister is ill and my father’s earnings aren’t enough for the proper medicine she needs. Please, I beg of you, Seijuuro-sama, it will never happen again. I’ll do _anything_.”

Seijuuro arched a curious brow.

“Anything, you say? Then spin around three times and bark. Like a dog.”

Inoue hesitated for a short moment but he knew that if he wanted to be forgiven and keep his job then he had to obey. There were also no ways in which he could prove that he was innocent of what Seijuuro accused him of. It would be the nobleman’s word against his and Inoue suspected that he was likely to lose in a situation like that. Seijuuro was a high ranked aristocrat; rich, powerful and had undoubtedly connections everywhere. Even if Inoue _was_ innocent, the young master could have him arrested and put behind bars for attempted rape if he really wanted to. Or any crime of his choosing for that matter. He was completely at his mercy.

Still on his hands and knees he spun around three times and after each turn, he gave off a weak bark like that of a dog. The behavior had caused Kuro’s ears to perk in curiosity.

He hung his head in shame and waited, hoped, for the master to grant his request of being spared.

“Lick the floor.”

Inoue looked up at the other. When his widened eyes met those frightening ones glaring at him from above he found himself unable to speak the words of protest he’d wanted to.

“Surely you did not think that was enough? You said you would do anything, did you not? You attempted to take advantage of my younger brother, I would say that you need to do much more than that to gain my forgiveness and prove your loyalty. Do you not agree?”

“Y-yes, Seijuuro-sama…” the servant replied with a broken voice and lowered himself even further until his nose nearly touched the floor. His tongue peeked out and slowly he began to lick at the wooden boards. The wet sound that was produced filled the otherwise silent room. It was near deafening to the servant’s ears. 

He grunted when Seijuuro none too gently placed one of his booted feet on top of his head, pressing him even closer to the floor. He did not stop his task, however, as he dared not disobey.

“I consider Taiga mine, you see. Exclusively. I love him very much and one day he is to be my husband.* So then you might understand why I do not take kindly to filthy beasts such as _yourself_ ,” Seijuuro dug the heel of his boot harder into the skull beneath it, causing the servant to whimper and snap his eyes shut in pain, “slobbering and putting their grubby paws all over him.”

Seijuuro’s eyes had widened a bit during his speech and now held a crazed, lost glint. The image of the servant on top of _his_ Taiga was still edged into his mind, spurring his jealousy and possessiveness. Therefore he gained much satisfaction from watching the boy suffer beneath him.

“He belongs to _me_.”

“Mmn!” Inoue whined, this time pausing all movement. The throbbing pain in his scalp was unbearable.

“Who told you to stop? If there is one thing I cannot _stand_ , it’s a disobedient dog,” the noble growled but lifted his boot slightly to ease the pressure. His eyes then returned to their usual indifference and he straightened with a sigh as if nothing had happened.

“Ah, perhaps I was a little too rough…” he muttered thoughtfully, although more to himself rather than the unfortunate victim of his treatment.

With a small shake of his head, lips curved in slight amusement, he chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.

“Astonishing, is it not, that even someone as patient and well tempered as myself can so easily lose control? Taiga has the ability to draw out the worst in me. Especially my possessive side.”

While still furious beyond belief, he had now calmed himself down. It would be no good if he wasted too much energy on this low-life, after all.

Removing his foot completely from the other’s head Seijuuro stood up.

“You will continue until I say otherwise,” he commanded and left the desk.

Of course, Seijuuro had no intentions of forgiving Inoue or let him keep his job. During his time toying with the servant he had thought up the _real_ punishment for him. It had not been easy as there were so many ideas to choose from but in the end he was rather satisfied with his final decision.

While Inoue performed his orders, Seijuuro crossed the room -taking his time on purpose- and stopped by the servant call bell that hung on one of the walls. He pulled it, calling for Harasawa who upon hearing it would arrive shortly. Then he went back to sit in his previous seat. He glanced down at the servant still licking the floor and scoffed.

“You may stop.”

A relieved breath left the young man and he immediately raised his head. He stood up as the mastered ordered him to and just when he did, Harasawa entered the room. He was undoubtedly surprised to see Inoue there. Not to the mention the fact that Seijuuro was in the office when there was a party downstairs.

“You called, my lord?”

“Yes,” Seijuuro began and motioned with his hand for the butler to close the door. Harasawa did so and then walked closer to the desk.

“This boy here laid his hands on Taiga. He attempted to take advantage of him while he was drunk, offering to take him to his room by himself. Kazunari can confirm that. When I came into Taiga’s room to make sure he was fine, this _creature_ was all over him on the floor.”

Inoue’s face turned into one of shock and disbelief. He’d thought he would be spared!

“S-Seijuuro-sama?!”

Harasawa was equally shocked, but not quite for the same reason.

“W-what? Is this true, Inoue?”

“No! Taiga-sama was drunk and -”

“It is. He was leaning over him and looked as if about to kiss him. I assure you, Taiga was near unconscious. I helped him into bed myself.”

Harasawa remembered when the young boy uttered his thoughts about Taiga; that he expressed how beautiful he thought he was.

“Unacceptable! Seijuuro-sama, please forgive me. I was responsible for his employment.”

“You are forgiven. However, I can not allow him to keep his position and go unpunished.”

Harasawa nodded.

“Of course, I will-”

“Call the police.”

Both servants froze at the command. But the older of the two quickly regained himself and did as told. After all, this was a very serious matter. Harasawa took Inoue down to the servant quarters. While he phoned the police Mayuzumi made sure the boy didn’t attempt at running or cause a scene.

“I shall go with the police to make sure everything is sorted. I am the current master of the household after all during my father’s absence. I feel it is my duty to represent the family in this matter,” Seijuuro told the butler who agreed with his decision.

“Mayuzumi, you will accompany me.”

“Yes.”

And so Seijuuro went to the police station where he offered a big sum of money to have Inoue declared insane and sent to Kirisaki Daiichi Asylum. It was ridiculous how easy it was to bribe even those men who considered themselves to be officers of the law.

Out of curiosity as well as the desire to see the servant meet his unfortunate end, Seijuuro had gone to Kirisaki Daiichi to see the establishment for himself. Needless to say he was quite pleased with what he was greeted with.

Harasawa did not know about the bribes, however. When the master returned the next morning he simply informed him that Inoue had been sent to Kirisaki Daiichi based on a professional diagnosis. The same story was told to Kagetora, Riko and Nebuya who were the higher ranked servants. However, Wakamatsu found out by mistake as he once heard Riko and her father discuss the matter. Or rather, he found out what happened to Inoue and that it was a result of him “getting too close” to Taiga, but he was unaware of the bedroom incident. Mayuzumi was the only one among them who knew the full story.

When Seijuuro’s and Taiga’s father returned, he was given the same version as Harasawa. Upon hearing it, furious, he and his oldest son decided not to tell Taiga about it.

All servants who knew had been ordered to not speak about the matter and if asked were only to say that Inoue found himself a new job closer to home. And believing this explanation to be the truth, it was the answer Taiga gave when Daiki one night asked about what happened to the poor servant.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Footman - servant (usually male) who attends the master during meals. Serves the food, pours drinks, refills etc. during the whole meal 
> 
> *Master and young master- Seijuuro is here refered to one of the "young masters" since their father was the Master of the household at this time. 
> 
> * No matter what their father said, Taiga did belong to him - This takes place three months after the father denied Seijuuro the right to marry Taiga. Seijuuro didn't kill him directly, choosing instead to wait and fully plan out the whole thing. Things like these can't be rushed. 
> 
> *One day to become my husband - So like the previous point, even if father said no, Seijuuro has already decided that he and Taiga are to marry each other once he takes over as the master of the house.
> 
> *Taiga calling his brother Seijuuro - Taiga doesn't call his brother "Sei" in front of servants of people he is unfamiliar with.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah boi I managed to squeeze out this one on time. I've started on the next chapter but again, I can't promise it will be out next week but i'll try. Uni is keeping me busy. 
> 
> As always, thank you for the support! And for you who dislikes Seijuuro even more after the last chapter, don't worry, he'll get what's coming for him.

 

It was now mid-September, a little over a week after the love confessions of the two young lovers, and the clock was nearing half past seven in the evening. It was raining again, rather aggressively so, and the hard droplets of water carried by a strong wind were loud against the glass of the windows.

Taiga was in his painting room, currently working on his red and blue flower field. Daiki’s portrait was done, after all, so he opted to finish some his other projects. Though while the portrait had been finished for quite some time now, the young noble had decided to add another detail a few days ago. Namely, a choker necklace similar to the one he’d imagined on Daiki that night. A black band with a blue, drop shaped sapphire pendant. It had proved to be a very nice addition to the painting and the the dark blue stone matched his lover’s eyes perfectly.

Now that it was fully complete it was standing on an easel in one of the corners of the room, a white sheet covering it. He just had to think where in his bedroom to store it. Somewhere the maids wouldn’t be able to find it during cleaning.

As he painted, quietly humming to himself, there was a knock on the door.

“Taiga.”

He stilled at the sound of his brother’s voice. 

“Yes?” He replied after clearing his throat, ridding himself of the nervous lump in his throat.

“I would very much wish that you let me in.”

“O-oh, give me a moment!”

He glanced at the painting thoughtfully. Would the coloring be too obvious? It usually wouldn’t, but those shades of blue and red were so close to his and Daiki’s features. There were no flowers in any other colors. Seijuuro was intelligent, he could probably figure it out if he paid enough attention to it. His thoughts then wandered to the portrait in the corner. While it was covered, there was always a risk of his brother seeing it. What if he was curious about the different paintings Taiga had worked on lately and took a tour around the room?

Why was Seijuuro here in the first place though? It was rare for him to visit this room.

“Taiga?”

“Ah yes, I just have to fill in a careful detail. I cannot leave it or it will be ruined.”

He heard Seijuuro sigh but seemed to accept the wait.

“It will not take long, I promise!”

He decided to put the flower field away on a table, covering it with a sheet and took out another half-finished one. It sported a beach on a sunny day; blue sky, big sun and a sea with a few foamy waves.

Releasing a long but quiet sigh to calm his nerves he went to unlock the door. When Seijuuro entered he wore a slight frown on his face. In his right hand he was holding his violin.

“I do not see why you must lock this room. You did not do so before.”

It was one of the few rooms that Seijuuro did not have access to. Or well, there was a spare key of course, but his brother never carried it with him. It was only recently that Taiga began to lock it - when starting on Daiki’s portrait- as he hadn’t felt the need to before that.

“Well, “ he began and closed door as his brother went farther inside the room, “when you were away in Seirin I was responsible for the house, as you know, and thus the servants granted me more attention. Especially Mayuzumi. I felt it a bother when I painted so in order to avoid any sudden interruptions I began to lock it. I suppose it became somewhat of a habit.”

The slightest tilt of amusement graced Seijuuro’s lips as he stopped by one of the windows. He was aware of his brother’s dislike for Mayuzumi. Dislike was perhaps a strong word for it but the two of them didn’t quite get along. He could tell that his valet was displeased at times when he was put on “Taiga guarding duties” but liked to tease him by asking if that truly was the case. And of course Mayuzumi was too loyal and polite to directly confirm it and openly show his displeasure. Quite entertaining, in the Akashi head's opinion.

“I see. Well, that is fine. If you feel that it is for the best then I don’t mind.”

Taiga was relieved by the reply. His eyes then fell to the object in the other’s hand. 

“You have your violin with you.”

Seijuuro nodded.

“Yes. I am done with work for today and as I have not played for quite some time I thought it to be a nice change. Would you mind if I played in here while you paint?”

“No not at all.”

But he felt nervous all the same. He could not stop thinking about the portrait and the chance of his brother seeing it. If he wanted to avoid suspicion he would have to act normal and keep his eyes away from that corner. So he was quick to return to his current painting. He dipped his brush in some blue paint and dragged it over the canvas, forcing his expression into one of deep concentration. To be honest he had lost his interest in this particular work; in his opinion it was not turning out well.

As he painted, Seijuuro made himself ready to play his violin. He took off his frock coat, rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt before placing the instrument under his chin. His eyes fell closed in concentration and soon a soft, slow melody began to fill the room.

Even though Seijuuro had claimed that he hadn’t played in a long time there was nothing that indicated such; he worked the strings masterfully and didn’t make any mistakes.  

 

Taiga was reminded then how much he liked to listen to him. In the past Seijuuro would often practice his violin homework in front of Taiga and their mother. He'd learned quickly and was very talented even as a young child.

The music proved to be an effective means of inspiration as some of Taiga’s motivation to finish the current painting came back to him. He mixed some new colors since the ones he had on his palette was originally meant for the flower field one.

About twenty minutes later Seijuuro deemed himself done and set down his violin on the table by the white sofa. As he did this, Taiga glanced his way and found himself blush at the memory of Daiki sitting on said sofa.

Seijuuro considered sitting down for a short rest but upon seeing Taiga so focused on his task he decided to have a closer look. He crossed the room until he stopped next to his younger brother.

“It is very beautiful,” he said after studying the unfinished work for a moment.

“Thank you. Although I am not too happy with it. I could have done better.”

Seijuuro hummed thoughtfully.

“Well, I am merely an amateur on this particular subject so I suppose I will trust your insight. However, I still find it beautiful.”

Taiga stilled for a short moment, painting brush hovering a few inches away from the canvas.

This was the Seijuuro he missed. It felt like it should, like before their father passed away, before the engagement, when they were close brothers and nothing more. Right there in that moment when they conversed with each other, Taiga forgot about their newly established relationship for a short while and found himself enjoying the time with Seijuuro. But it soon came back to him and he had to stop himself for expressing any signs of disappointment.

Why couldn’t Seijuuro be satisfied with this? Did he really want to marry him _that_ much? Did he truly love him like that? Was the brotherly love they shared really not enough?

“I would love to see what else you have been working on. Surely with all this inspiration of yours you must have accomplished quite the masterpieces.”

Taiga swallowed silently in his throat. This was what he’d been afraid of; Seijuuro’s curiosity. Most of his recent works contained various shades of darker blue. A dark blue rose, a black panther with eyes that matched Daiki’s, a lake with its surface dark blue due to the shadows of tall trees surrounding it. These were only a few examples. All in all, a  _lot_ of dark blue. And in most of them he had added a red feature in some way. A clear pattern that could easily be noticed if the paintings were lined up next to each other.

“Right…” he said hesitantly and once again stopped his eyes from glancing at the covered portrait in the corner.

He had to calm down.

Seijuuro had been busy with work for a long time and thus there were many of Taiga’s paintings that he had not yet seen. Taiga could bring out an old one and pretend it was a recent work. As he put his painting brush down and walked towards a pile of paintings on a table he searched through his mind for specifics; ones that did not contain traces of his lover and himself.

He remembered a few as well as their locations. He removed the white cloth that covered one of the tables and three paintings were revealed.

“Here are some of my latest. I finished them last week.”

More like a month ago.

Seijuuro hummed curiously and picked one of them up. It sported a tiger’s head; its jaws were open in a feral grin filled with sharp teeth. Its eyes were intense, an eerie combination of black pupils and yellow irises, and stared at the viewer as if they were its prey.

Seijuuro found himself liking it very much.

“This is magnificent.”

“Do you really think so?” Taiga asked hopefully. While he was quite happy with it, he thought it might be a bit too...macabre for most people.

Seijuuro nodded.

“Yes. Would you be willing to let me have it put up in my office? I feel like I need a new addition to that room.”

“If you want to then of course.”

A genuine smile that surprised the younger found its way on Seijuuro’s lips.

“Thank you.”

Taiga then showed him the second painting on the table; a black night sky with a few silver stars surrounding a big, golden full moon. The third was of a deer with tall antlers standing majestically on a green field of grass, observing the landscape in front of itself. All of them received a positive response.

He thought for a moment that perhaps Seijuuro would be satisfied with that but when his brother glanced at the covered portrait in the corner, that thought was crushed. His heart skipped a beat at the obvious curiosity in the other’s eyes.

“And what about that one?” he asked and began to approach it. He didn’t get far, however, before Taiga made him halt in his tracks, voice loud and desperate.

“Don’t!”

A tense silence followed. Seijuuro turned to him with an arched brow and Taiga swallowed nervously.

“I-I mean...it’s not finished and I don’t want anyone to see it yet. It’s a bit of a surprise and I only want to show it when it is done. Sorry, I didn’t mean to shout.”

“I see…”

But the sheer panic that he had spotted on Taiga’s face before it quickly faded, as well as the sudden desperation in his voice was unsettling. Even if it was as he said, something that he didn’t want him to see yet, Seijuuro wasn’t even close to the painting. He had barely taken two steps. It would have been enough to just plainly tell him not to approach it and that he did not wish for anyone to see it. But the reaction had been instant. There was also the location of it; it was as if Taiga tried to make it unnoticeable. As if he was hiding it.

“How long have you been working on it?”

“A few weeks.”

A month ago Taiga never locked this room. It was something he’d started with recently, or more specifically, when Seijuuro was in Seirin. Was his time away those _few weeks_ his younger brother talked about? And there were several other things that Seijuuro had noticed.

Firstly, the nervous way in which Taiga had spoken when he asked to be let inside.

Secondly, he had claimed that he needed to fill out a detail on his painting, but while Seijuuro waited outside his ears had picked up the sound of rustling as well as footsteps against the floor as Taiga had obviously moved away from the work.

And thirdly, when he stood next to Taiga he’d noticed that many of the colors on his color palette didn’t quite match the painting of the beach. Red for example. It was only after Seijuuro’s entrance that he’d gone to mix new ones.

_‘Is he hiding something from me?’_

If that was the case, what could possibly be so secret about a painting? Something that was not meant for Seijuuro’s eyes to see? Perhaps never. 

Maybe he was looking too much into it. Perhaps Taiga truly just wished for no one to see the painting until it was done. A surprise, like he’d said.

He decided to let it go and shrugged.

“I look forward to see it when it is done, then. It must be spectacular for you to be so secretive about it.”

“Yes…I hope it is.”

“Also, Taiga, I know that this room is under your authority but since you have kept it locked for such a long time now it has not been cleaned. Surely you have noticed the result of that.”

Taiga let his eyes sweep over the room and true enough, it was in need of a cleaning. Dust layered the floor, the corners especially, and no doubt hid in the curtains as well. The windows needed polishing and small pebbles and dirt transported from outside by shoes could be seen scattered across the floor.

“Yes I can see that. It needs to be cleaned.”

Seijuuro nodded.

“I will have someone tend to it tomorrow morning so make sure you do not lock it today.”

The thought did not sit well with him but he agreed nonetheless. It would be suspicious if he didn’t.

“Oh by the way,” Seijuuro began, “I am leaving for Rakuzan early in the morning to discuss a new contract with a business partner. I also have several errands to attend which will keep me occupied for the whole day.”

“Oh...I see.”

“Will you accompany me or would you rather stay here?”

He was actually given a choice?

“I think I’d rather stay. When will you be back?”

“I am not sure. My guess is seven or eight at best so I will not be able to join you for dinner.”

Taiga certainly did not mind that.

“I see.”

“Is there anything you wish me to buy for you while I am there?”

“Nothing that I can think of.”

“Very well.”

Taiga flinched when his brother took a step closer and reached out towards him with a hand. It landed on one of his cheeks.

“You have some paint here,” he said and wiped the small white smudge away with his thumb.

“O-oh. I didn’t notice.”

Even with the paint gone Seijuuro did not remove his hand. His eyes lowered to Taiga’s lips where they settled, observing them intently, before he claimed them with his own. Instead of reaching up himself, he pulled Taiga’s face down for the kiss. It was as if he thought reaching up was undignified for him.

The contact was rather brief and when the older brother pulled away there was a thoughtful look on his face as he seemed to be contemplating with himself.

And then as if a switch had been flipped, Seijuuro’s demeanor changed completely. His other hand that had settled on Taiga’s hip during the kiss lowered to feel the small of his back before slowly, almost teasingly, trailed downwards to take hold of one of his firm buttocks. He gave it a light squeeze, enjoying the feeling of it, but said enjoyment only lasted for a short moment as Taiga flinched back with a gasp. He created some good distance between them, painting brush dropping to the floor, and looked at his brother with a horrified expression and a dark blush of red on his cheeks.

Seijuuro’s eyes fell halfway, his lips smirking at the, in his opinion, _adorable_ reaction.

 _'So innocent'_  

He chuckled.

“Did I startle you? Do forgive me,” he said, his voice laced with amusement and it was obvious that his apology was not sincere.

“Don’t touch me like that!” Taiga bristled with anger. But the constant blush and the tremble in his voice only served to further amuse the older. He could handle the kisses and gentle caresses, but he was not going to let the other touch him _there._ Only Daiki had that privilege.

“Taiga…” Seijuuro began as he approached his fiance, “you truly are adorable. Ahh just seeing you like this makes me even more eager to have you.”

Taiga backed, eyes still wide. Where was this all coming from all of a sudden? What happened to the normal, peaceful moment they’d been having for the past half hour? The way his brother spoke to him and the obvious hint of  _lust_ in his eyes sent an unpleasant shudder through him. 

He grunted when his back hit the wall, Seijuuro once again stopping right in front of him. Before he did anything, Taiga tried again.

“Not now, Sei. I mean it.”

To his surprise, his brother -fiance- did not seem to be angered by his words. There was, however, that familiar look of half-hearted scolding. The kind of disapproval a parent might hold for a child refusing to eat or take a bath. He’d seen it so many times.

“You really must stop with this nonsense. I have told you that I shall not accept such defiance from you.”

“...”

The soft frown lifted from Seijuuro’s face.  

“Though I suppose that is also included in your education. It might take some time, but you _will_ learn obedience.”

“What are you talking about? What education?”  

There was only a short moment of hesitation before his brother answered.

“I was not planning on telling you today but... it makes little difference. In fact, it might be better this way so you can fully prepare yourself.”

“Wha-”

“Starting next week the two of us shall spend more time together at night. I am going to personally educate you in the acts and ways of lovers. And of course, teach you how to be a proper husband.”

Educate him? Acts and ways of lovers? At night. Surely he didn’t mean-

“You shall share my bed a few nights a week and we will gradually work our way from there. Since you are already used to the act of kissing I’d say that is a reasonable starting point. Although this time it will be on my bed.”

Oh no.

Upon seeing the panic and horror on his face Seijuuro quickly added as a way of comforting him, “Do not worry, Taiga. I shall not take you fully.”

As he said this he placed a hand on one of Taiga’s stiff shoulders and without using brute force somehow managed to pull him down to his eye level. Taiga did not know what was happening anymore, his mind spinning. He could only stare at those eyes boring into his so intently.

“We are saving that for our wedding night,” he continued and caressed Taiga’s bottom lip before slowly leaning in towards them, “that will give us more than enough time to train and prepare you for the occasion.”

And with that he closed the distance between their lips with another kiss.

 

* * *

 

“He wants you to _what_?”

Taiga turned his head to the side, away from his lover, in embarrassment. He refused to repeat himself. Daiki had heard him, however, but asked his question in a matter of denial. Hoping that he might have heard it wrong by some chance. But Taiga’s expression clearly indicated that he hadn’t.

“Don’t make me say it again...”

“To hell with that!”

Taiga sighed.

“I can’t do it, Daiki. I can’t do that with him. I won’t.”

“Of course you can’t! And as if I’d let that happen! Ne, Taiga, let’s leave.”

“Leave…?” Taiga asked weakly and furrowed his brows questioningly. He had yet to process everything that was happening, still in shock, and could therefore not muster any stronger reaction.

With an eager nod Daiki took his hands into his own.

“Yes. Let’s run away together.”

“But where?”

“Anywhere. Far away from here where your brother can’t find us. Touou perhaps! You said you wanted to go there someday.”

“It’s not that simple. Seijuuro will come after us no matter how far we go. He has a wide network of connections, probably in Touou as well. And when he finds out that we're gone you’ll be a wanted criminal for the rest of your life, constantly on the run, do you really want that? And think of your parents. You might not see them ever again. Would you really risk everything for someone you’ve only known for-”

“Taiga.”

The young noble allowed himself to be interrupted. He closed his mouth, ending his rambling, and felt his heart skip a beat at the look of determination on his lover’s face.

“I love you and I want to be with you. You know, I’ve realized that I’m not capable of sharing you with anyone, especially with him. I’m too selfish to care what happens.”

“...”

“I probably won’t be able to keep it in me much longer and he’ll find out about us anyway because of it. Like I said, I can’t let him have you like that. And you said you won’t do it with him but how are you going to achieve that if you stay? By talking to him? He’ll force you if you refuse, won’t he? If you want out of this then running is the only choice. We’ll both be miserable if we stay.”

He was right, Taiga knew that. What made him hesitate was as he’d previously stated, the danger it could put Daiki in. If they ran away and were caught, Seijuuro would not be so forgiving. While he would most likely have Taiga punished, he would eventually forgive him due to their relationship. But Daiki was another matter. The second factor that influenced his uncertainty to the idea, was fear of the unfamiliar life he and his lover were to live should they run. There was a lack of security in it that scared him.

But…

He couldn’t stay. Even if he refused Seijuuro’s _education_ , that didn’t mean he would be relieved of it. Like with so much else, his brother didn’t care about his opinion. Much, at least. And while he’d said they wouldn’t go all the way there were still many things- _intimate things_ \- they could do and Taiga wanted no part in it. The kisses were more than enough.

With a long sigh he hung his head before nodding.

“You’re right.”

Satisfied at the success of his persuasive words, Daiki nodded. The fact that a life with Taiga suddenly was not so out of reach as it had been up until now made him very eager to leave at once. Eager and unreasonable.

“Then let’s leave, come on.”

Taiga lifted his head blinked dumbly at him.

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“Slow down, we can’t leave now this instant. We have to plan this out, Daiki. I have to prepare some things.”

“We can plan later. And what things? Next week is in four days, we gotta leave before then.”

“I know. How about tomorrow night? That will give me time to pack some things for us and get some money. We’ll need it. It will also give us some time to think ahead.”

Where they were going, how they were getting there, where they were going to stay, how they would make money when the amount they had ran out. Things like these were important factors to consider, according to Taiga and thus he wanted to wait, unlike his impatient lover. Also, he had lived his whole life in the Akashi mansion; he had so many memories and he needed some time to take farewell. When he further explained this, Daiki gave in and agreed. And as the bluenette gave it some thought, he became aware of how silly he’d been. He needed time as well.

He nodded and kissed Taiga on the cheek.

“Tomorrow night then. I’ll come around ten or eleven.”

“Yes. I will be ready by then.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright it's heating up. Seijuuro sure changes his attitude quickly, huh? There will be a chapter about his childhood later on, a little about Taiga as well. 
> 
> Something kinda big is gonna happen in the next chapter. Now I just gotta get it down.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished this chapter when I should have been working on a uni assignment. But it's due Monday so there is plenty of time, right?? *sweats* 
> 
> As always, thank you for the lovely comments (I always read them, i promise) and kudos and the overall support! You guys contribute a great deal to my motivation.
> 
> Quite a long chapter this time and lots of things going on.

 

Mayuzumi wouldn’t let it show, but he was quite annoyed with his master’s decision to bring Harasawa with him to Rakuzan. As Seijuuro’s valet it was usually he who accompanied him on his errands, after all, and not the butler. To stay in the mansion and keep an eye on the household- and Taiga- was honestly quite a bother.

_‘It shouldn’t be my job’_

The time was nearing ten o’clock in the morning. Seijuuro had left several hours ago and the grey-haired servant was currently in the middle of an inspection round. He had just cleared the second floor and after walking up the stairs to the third he suddenly heard giggling and excited whispers. Brows furrowing into a frown he followed the sounds that he soon found coming from Taiga’s painting room. The door was opened halfway and when he stopped by it he looked inside.

Two maids were standing in one of the corners and seemed to be admiring a painting but Mayuzumi couldn’t see it as the young women blocked his view with their backs turned to him. 

“Ah look at those arms. So strong…”

“Arms? Forget that. Look at his legs. And his lap. A shame it’s covered, wouldn’t you say? I bet he’s big.”

“Oh my!”

Mayuzumi pushed the door open fully and stepped into the room.

“What is the meaning of this?” He asked sternly and as soon as the two maids heard him they spun around with wide eyes and synced gasps of surprise. At the sight of the male servant’s expression of disapproval they lowered their heads in embarrassment.

“W-we were instructed to clean this room and we were only trying to move this painting i-in order to sweep the floor in the corner!” One of them began with a nervous tremble in her voice.

The other one then continued.

“And when we lifted it the cloth fell off!”

During their explanation Mayuzumi had crossed the distance between them but only to freeze in his step as his eyes were greeted by what the painting displayed.

A portrait. Of Daiki. Naked...except for a piece of fabric covering his intimate parts and a choker around his neck. He could not believe it at first, _hoping_ that it was only his mind playing tricks on him. But alas, that was unfortunately not the case.

Taiga had painted this portrait. 

In this very room he and Daiki had created it together in secret. 

If Daiki was the model then it was probable that Taiga was the one who’d suggested the idea. As much as he didn’t want to believe it, Mayuzumi knew that it was the most reasonable explanation. After all, the setup and details of the portrait spoke of planning and preparation from an artistic, creative mind.

“Get out,” he told the maids once he’d recovered from his shock,“ and you shall not speak of this to anyone, do you understand?” His frown deepened as he looked at them and they were quick to respond. 

“Yes!” they exclaimed in unison before hurrying out of the room.

Mayuzumi bent down to grab the sheet off the floor. He gave the painting a glare of disgust before covering it up. Releasing a long, shaky breath he shook his head.

This was bad. Very much so. Taiga had what seemed to be an intimate relationship with the blue haired servant. But just how far did that intimacy stretch? Surely they weren’t... _bedding_ each other? That was unimaginable! It _couldn’t_ be. Taiga couldn’t be so foolish as to betray Seijuuro like this.

To be loved so strongly by Seijuuro, to _marry_ him, was a great honor and privilege. Taiga couldn’t possibly prefer a lowly servant like Daiki over the Akashi master. Anyone could see that Seijuuro was better in every way!

“Surely Taiga-sama must _understand_ this,” he muttered to himself with a tone of disbelief.

It was therefore difficult for Mayuzumi to accept the situation.

Daiki was naked in the portrait but that didn’t mean Taiga slept with him. Perhaps the young master only saw a potential model for his painting, looking at the servant through an artist’s eyes.

Again Mayuzumi shook his head, his denial beginning to crumble.

“It is surely more than that,” he muttered to himself and left the room, closing the door behind him.

He decided to investigate further by searching Taiga’s room. Perhaps he could find some further evidence to confirm the matter. After all, Daiki was wearing a choker in the portrait and if it was indeed a physical copy of it hidden away, the young master’s room was most likely the right place for it.

Knowing that the young master was currently in the library, he would take the opportunity to perform his search at that very moment. However, he had to be quick about it as there was no telling when Taiga might feel like spending some time in his room. If he was to be found out, Mayuzumi had no valid excuse for his presence there and he could not divulge his discovery of the portrait to anyone until Seijuuro came back. The master had to be the first one to know and thus the matter was to be treated with the utmost secrecy.

When he entered Taiga’s room he quietly closed the door behind him. Looking around the fine space he began to consider possible hiding spots. Simply looking through drawers and underneath objects would most probably not get him anywhere. He was looking for a choker and things of similar character, things that Taiga did not wish to be found, so he had to think of places that would be able to serve that particular purpose.

As he rummaged through the room Mayuzumi felt extremely guilty, especially when searching through the bed. He really had no right anywhere close to it, after all. So he’d decided to make the search over that particular area a quick one.

It was ten minutes later, when he was in the midst of looking through the closet, that he found something. At the bottom inside one of Taiga’s riding boots, pressed against the inner toe area, was a piece of fabric that felt very much like lace and silk. The boots were standing far inside the closet, behind a row of other shoes. Their dark brown color made them almost camouflaged against the wooden wall of the dresser. Mayuzumi had almost missed them.

Curiously he took the little piece of fabric out and while he was glad that his suspicions had been right, he also felt a wave of dismay when he saw what it was.

It wasn’t the choker Daiki wore in the portrait, but something even more scandalous. A garter made of black lace and red silk. Mayuzumi stared at it dumbly.

Lingerie was something meant to be worn for one’s lover in the bedroom; and judging by the color combination he suspected heavily that it was Taiga who it was intended for. For good measure he searched the other boot and found a pair of stockings of the same colors as the garter, bundled together in a ball. It confirmed it; Taiga was having sex with Daiki willingly.

Suddenly, the constant smiling and good mood that had appeared so suddenly in the two youngsters lately made so much more sense.

The question though, was how long this had been going on for.

He dreaded telling Seijuuro about all this. The thought made him shiver; he knew that he would probably see the master angrier than ever before and he certainly did not look forward to it. But it had to be done.

That dread stuck with him for the rest of the day and because of it he could not fully concentrate on his duties. And even if it went against his orders, he felt that he had to avoid Taiga as to not reveal his distress or disapproval -and guilt for looking through his room - as it might inflict suspicion in the younger master. But it seemed like Taiga was also keen on keeping to himself that day. He had barely spoken a word, had little appetite at breakfast and spent his time either in the library, outside with his horse, or his room. Mayuzumi considered himself lucky that his search had not been caught by the nobleman who could have come into his room just at that moment.

Avoiding Daiki was not quite as easy. During lunchtime as all servants shared the same table he had not been able to keep his disapproving, _angry_ eyes off him.

 _How_ **_dared_ ** _he?_

How could Daiki have the audacity to smile and act as if he had not disgraced, _dishonored_ Taiga to begin with? As if he had not committed the greatest crime and sin possible.

 _‘You ungrateful, disrespectful wretch.’_ Mayuzumi had thought to himself while the kennel boy conversed with Wakamatsu. 

Seijuuro had hired Daiki against his better judgement. He had wanted someone with more experience and had it not been for Harasawa’s recommendation the boy would never have found himself serving this house. To go against the person who had showed him such kindness was nothing short of insulting.

Despite Mayuzumi’s fear, he wanted to inform Seijuuro about his discovery as soon as possible. It was a matter of great urgency, after all. However, if he just ran up the carriage as soon as it came to a stop by the entrance, he could cause a big scene and gain unwanted attention as well as curiosity from Harasawa and others nearby.

So when the master finally arrived home he waited patiently by the door. Once the master entered the hall and Harasawa was dismissed, he spoke up with his voice lowered.

“There is a very urgent matter I must discuss with you, Seijuuro-sama. Immediately.”

Seijuuro sighed and didn’t bother to hide his displeasure that took the form of a deep frown. He had just gotten back, only taken one single step over the threshold, could he not get some time to catch his breath at least? Really, what could be so important?

“Surely it can wait for half an hour. I must clean myself,” he muttered tiredly as he crossed the grand hall, aiming for the staircase. After a whole day in Rakuzan, a bath was much desired and needed.

A bark was heard, followed by the sound of hurried paws against the marble floor. Upon seeing his master, Kuro ran up to Seijuuro and eagerly asked for affection. It was given to him in the form of some scratching behind his ear. He trotted happily by the master’s side as they began to walk up the stairs. But Seijuuro had only reached the second step when Mayuzumi’s next words made him pause.

“But my lord, it is _very_ important and I must admit that I am rather anxious to tell you.”

Now a bit more curious about his servant’s _urgent matter,_ he turned to face him. And indeed Mayuzumi did look quite distressed. He released another sigh before giving his reply.

“Very well, I shall be quick. Meet me in the office in fifteen minutes; we shall speak there. Prepare some tea while you’re at it.”

“Do you not require assistance with your bath?”

“No. I wish to be alone.”

Even if it was only fifteen minutes, he needed _some_ peace and quiet.

“As you wish.”

While Seijuuro took a quick bath, Mayuzumi did as instructed and began to make some chamomile tea. A personal favorite that the master prefered in the evenings. As time passed, the ticking of the clock seeming louder than usual, the grey-haired servant grew more and more nervous. When he began to make his way towards the office with tray in hand he felt a few beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.

In about five minutes Seijuuro would find out that his younger brother, his _fiance,_ had a love affair with one of the servants… and the fact that Taiga was no longer a virgin. The latter was the news that would be most difficult for the master to take in, he figured. After all, he had been very careful to keep Taiga’s virtue intact for their wedding night.

Upon reaching the empty office he hurried up to the desk to set the tray down. His hands were trembling and didn’t stop even as he performed the important task of pouring the tea into the fine cup.

A few silent, excruciatingly long minutes passed before Seijuuro came into the room. He had opted for a simple attire after his bath; a red kimono-styled robe with a yellow sash. Imported from the eastern province of Shuutoku. As he approached the desk, aiming to sit down in the chair, Mayuzumi spoke up.

“Forgive me, Seijuuro-sama, but there is no need for you to sit down as there is something I must show you elsewhere.”

Coming to a stop in front of his desk, the noblemen quirked a brow in question. He took the steaming cup of tea and drank from it while glancing at his servant thoughtfully. His curiosity was growing even further.

“What is all this about?” he asked finally after a few sips and placed the cup back down. Crossing his arms over is chest he waited for the other to explain.

“Well, I am not sure where to start. Perhaps it would be easier if I just showed you. Please follow me.”

Seijuuro, while a bit confused and slightly annoyed, did not question and followed the other through the mansion with his cup still in hand. He had no idea whatsoever what it could be about. But it had to be something very serious; Mayuzumi was rarely this nervous or in such a hurry.

They walked the stairs to the third floor, down the corridor until they reached Taiga’s painting room. The servant took out a key from his pocket and moved to unlock the room. Seijuuro frowned.

“What is the meaning of this? You wish to show me something in here? This room is for Taiga’s private use; you are not allowed in there without permission. Since you found something you have obviously been prying around. And you _certainly_ do not have the right to carry the spare key; it is supposed to be stored in Harasawa’s quarters.”

Mayuzumi had stilled during the lecture, the key in the keyhole but the door still locked. He had to be granted permission before he could unlock it.

“I-I am aware, Seijuuro-sama. It was merely by accident that I stumbled upon my find this morning, I assure you. Taiga-sama locked this room sometime during the day so in order to show you I had to get the spare key. Please, if you allow me I shall explain everything once we go inside.”

Holding the servant’s stare for a moment, those grey eyes pleading and impatient, the master considered the request for a short moment. While the room did indeed belong to Taiga for the most part and not a place anyone could just walk into, Seijuuro knew he would have to let Mayuzumi show him whatever it was that bothered him so much. Truth to be told he was rather interested in what it could be.

He replied with a nod, giving his permission, and the door was unlocked.

It was just like he’d left it last night, after Taiga had fled the room after receiving the news of his newly enforced education. Nothing looked out of place. Though when Mayuzumi crossed the room with hurried steps and then coming to a halt in the corner where Taiga’s secret painting stood, the Akashi head quirked a brow.

“Seijuuro-sama, this morning when two of the maids cleaned this room they attempted to move this and in the process managed to uncover it by accident. I was only passing when I heard them and felt it my responsibility to see what the fuss was about. I-I did by no means mean to intrude on Taiga-sama’s work.” 

He swallowed down the nervous lump that had begun to form in his throat during his explanation. His hands were trembling as he took hold of the white sheet covering the portrait but he still did not remove it, not deeming himself done with his speech.

“W-when I saw this painting I must say I was shocked beyond belief and I simply could not ignore it, considering it my duty to tell you-”

”Remove it.”

During the time that Mayuzumi had spoken, Seijuuro had grown impatient. His suspicions from the evening prior, when Taiga so desperately prevented him from approaching the painting,  came back to him. This time he had no intention to ignore it because obviously it was something that his younger brother had no intention of showing him and this was further confirmed by his servant’s current behavior.

Mayuzumi had not looked at the master while he explained himself. He’d been too nervous for that and thus kept his eyes on the floor. Therefore he was startled when Seijuuro’s command sounded so close to him and when he looked up, he was greeted by said noble’s stern expression.

“Y-yes.”

Taking a deep breath he did as told and removed the sheet, leaving the portrait completely exposed to the two of them.

A few silent seconds passed. Mayuzumi glanced at the master and felt a pang of worry at the sight of the widened eyes and look of utter disbelief they held.

“S-Seijuuro-sama?” he tried carefully, afraid that his inquiry might aggravate the other and cause a violent reaction. But Seijuuro did not respond and kept observing the painting with a lost look, arms hanging limply at his sides and teacup falling out of his grip. It didn't break when it landed on the floor but the tea that remained spilled and formed a small puddle. 

Clearing his throat, Mayuzumi reached for his pocket and took out a small bag. Inside was the garter he had found in Taiga’s room. He was hesitant to show it to the other as it would perhaps be too much like rubbing salt into a wound, but at the same time he had to make sure that his master fully became aware of what had transpired. Not that he doubted the man’s abilities to figure it out -he most likely had already- but he was inclined to show the evidence he had found.

“M-my lord...I also found this in Taiga-sama’s room. After seeing the painting, of course, or I would never have intruded.”

He took out the garter from the bag and hesitantly offered it to the other who’s expression had not changed. Seijuuro looked at it and slowly he reached out to take it, but not without a second of hesitation. He remained silent and unexpressive though and after inspecting the piece of lingerie for a while he slowly turned back to the portrait.

However, as unresponsive as he was on the outside, a storm was brewing up inside.

He was having a difficult time comprehending the situation. So many questions, thoughts and emotions mixed together in a chaotic mess that only grew worse by the second. After all, this was the first time that he was faced with a situation like this, faced with such a _hardship,_ and did therefore not know how to react or deal with it. At first he had not believed it, taken by desperate denial. It was so absurd, the thing in front of him. Not part of his calculations.

Taiga wouldn’t betray him like this, would he? He wouldn’t _do_ that to him. There was no way he could have bedded that peasant _willingly_. It was laughable!

Yes, it was true that Taiga was kind and friendly towards all the servants -or most of them- but this... _this_? Impossible.

But...

Mayuzumi had found lingerie in his room. Taiga had painted the portrait and didn’t want Seijuuro to see it. Taiga had been smiling and humming to himself more than ever lately. Daiki had too, according to Mayuzumi. They had spent time together when Seijuuro was away in Seirin. Shared a table, conversed daily...bonded with Kuro, his dog that Taiga had always been _frightened_ of. Not even Seijuuro or their father had managed to cure that fear despite several attempts in the past. It all pointed to it being true.

 _‘Does he truly prefer that_ **_lowlife_ ** _over me?_ **_Me_ ** _, Seijuuro Akashi? What could he possibly have that I don’t? Am I not..._ **_good enough_ ** _for him?’_

Gritting his teeth almost painfully hard, hands balling into fists shaking with his rage, he slowly turned back to his servant.

“Seiju-” Mayuzumi began but cut himself off by the look he was greeted with.

“Get Harasawa.”

The grey-haired servant could tell that it was taking all of his master’s efforts to control himself so without wasting any time he hurriedly offered a bow before leaving to perform his orders.

Now alone, Seijuuro once again glanced at the piece of lingerie clutched in his hand and brought it up to his cheek.

“Why would you do this to me, Taiga?” He groaned desperately and nuzzled into the object as he thought himself catching the familiar scent of his fiance.

The red silk ribbon between the lace was soft against his skin and for a brief moment he forgot his rage as a spark of arousal shot through him. His eyes fell closed and he imagined the piece of fabric snug around one of his beloved’s thighs. To think that Taiga had actually bought something like it in the first place.

 _‘Not for you though. For_ ** _him_** _,’_ a voice in his head, one that sounded suspiciously like his mother, told him and just like that he snapped out of his lustful daze.

“Tch!”

He glared at the garter with murderous intent, considering the idea to rip it to shreds. But he resisted the urge and forced himself to calm down. He was going to stay composed until Taiga explained himself, he decided.

 

* * *

 

 

There was a constant knot in Taiga’s stomach as he made his way down one of the many corridors of the mansion. It wasn’t that late yet, just about eight o’clock and still a few hours until his and Daiki’s elopement, but he was nervous and anxious beyond belief. Not to mention overtaken by guilt. He had written a letter for Seijuuro in which he explained himself. It was cowardly of him, he knew that, but if he told him in person it would result in dire consequences, both for himself and Daiki. Then their chances of running away would be next to none.  

He doubted it, but he still hoped that his brother would understand.

_‘He’ll search for you.’_

More like hunt him down. Like a deer or rabbit.

_‘It’s better to burn that letter. Don’t tell him anything.’_

He shook his head to answer his own thoughts.

He couldn’t do that. It would be cruel to leave without an explanation. He owed a lot to his brother and maybe by telling him how he truly felt through that letter it could dull the pain even just a little.

But he couldn’t stay either. He couldn’t give Seijuuro what he wanted from him.

He hadn’t gotten much sleep the night prior. After hours of tossing and turning he’d decided to start packing instead. Not much though; if they wanted to get as far away as possible before Seijuuro sent someone after them, they had to travel light. So instead of a suitcase he’d opted for a smaller satchel, stuffing it with two clean shirts and some underwear for him and his lover, some money, his engagement ring and the ruby of his choker. The two latter pieces would give them more money when the amount they had ran out. It was more than enough to last them for a while.

When morning came about he ate his breakfast rather quickly, though due to his nervous stomach he didn’t eat much, and afterwards retired to his room where he wrote his letter. Then he had taken a bath, spent time with his horse - he would miss Shiro dearly - and walked about the house as a way of saying goodbye. For a while he did some reading in the library, or rather pretending to, went to his painting studio that seemed to have been cleaned for the most part, although there was still some dust left in the corner where the portrait stood. It relieved him greatly; last evening after Seijuuro had told him about his... _education_ and kissed him, Taiga had stormed out immediately and locked himself up in his room for the rest of the night. Because of that he had forgotten about the cleaning that was to be done the next day and had not moved the portrait to his room. But it looked like no one had gotten close to it. Perhaps the maids hadn’t dared to and left the dust in favor of that.

Although unbeknownst to him it was the result of Mayuzumi’s interference that morning. The servant had placed the portrait back in the corner to prevent Taiga’s suspicion. And clearly he had succeeded.

Nonetheless, Taiga had locked it afterwards.

The young noble had finished dinner about an hour ago and before going to his room he’d decided to take one last tour of the house. The corridor he was currently finding himself in was the one with family portraits. Prior generations and the current one.

He came to a stop at the latest one of his family. His parents, Seijuuro and himself. It had been painted the year before their mother passed away, when Taiga was nine years old. A fond smile stretched his lips as he remembered how difficult it had been for him to stay still for so long, which resulted in his father scolding him.

He wondered how things would have been if their parents were both still alive. Would he still be engaged with Seijuuro? He doubted it.

“I miss you so much,” he muttered, referring to both of them, as he looked at their faces.

The young noble was then startled out of his thoughts by Harasawa’s voice addressing him.

“Taiga-sama.”

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden sound and turned around with a gasp.

“Forgive me if I startled you. I do not wish to disturb but Seijuuro-sama wishes to see you.”

“O-oh, I see. Where?”

“Follow me.”

Taiga couldn’t help but feel a bit of uncertainty. It was rare that Harasawa escorted him to wherever it was that his brother wanted to speak with him. And that brought up the second thing that he found strange. There was a secrecy coming from the butler; normally it was Mayuzumi who informed him where to go, which was most of the time Seijuuro’s office.

But he did as instructed anyway and let the butler take him to wherever it was that they were meant to go. It was not the office, Taiga noticed as they instead passed the rooms of the second floor and towards the staircase. He frowned.

Third floor?

The confusion was replaced by more anxiety when they approached his painting room. The door was open and in front of it stood Mayuzumi who, upon seeing him, let his face twist into a look of disapproval. The grey haired servant sighed and shook his head as if disappointed.

 _‘What is his problem?’_ The young noble thought to himself and met the other’s look with a narrowing of his eyes.

Mayuzumi stepped aside to allow Taiga and the butler inside the room. Immediately his eyes found Seijuuro who sat on the white sofa, although on the opposite side of the one Daiki had occupied during the making of the portrait.

Speaking of which…

There was an easel holding a painting standing in front of the sofa, one that his brother was currently observing from his seat. His expression was neutral, but it held a cold undertone if one looked close enough and Taiga knew exactly what he was seeing. 

The corner in the opposite side of the room was empty.

“Leave us. Stand outside by the door,” Seijuuro ordered without taking his eyes off the painting.

Harasawa did as told and stepped outside to stand in the corridor with Mayuzumi. When the door closed behind him, Taiga flinched.

He gulped and slowly lifted his gaze.

“Sei-”

“So this is why you were so desperate to not let me see it. It did awake some suspicion in me but...I was certainly not expecting _this._ ”

“...”

“A few weeks you said…” Seijuuro’s voice betrayed hints of his anger, but only a bit, “were those _few weeks_ possibly the time I was away in Seirin?”

“Yes…”

“And I suppose this was not made solely for artistic purposes.”

Taiga didn’t dare answer. Though, he didn’t need to.

Seijuuro looked down at his own lap and Taiga’s eyes followed, widening even further when they recognized the red and black piece of fabric that lay there.

His garter.

How?

His brother took it between his fingers and held it up in front of himself before looking at Taiga for the first time since he’d entered the room. His mismatched eyes said it all; he knew _exactly_ for what purposes the portrait had been done.

He let go of the garter and it fell to the floor. Then slowly he stood from his seat without taking his now blazing eyes off the younger. Just the mere sight of Taiga was enough to rile him up even further. That and the fact that his precious younger brother hadn’t even bothered denying it. When he didn’t say anything, his anger becoming more and more apparent by the second, Taiga decided that it was best to be honest and let his true feelings be known. 

“I-I can’t marry you, Sei. I’m sorry but I can’t give you what you want. I’m not _right_ for you. Daiki is the one I-”

He didn’t get to finish as Seijuuro finally snapped. The anger he had felt since the moment the portrait was revealed to him, along with Taiga’s words of rejection, reached its boiling point and he broke out in an outraged, wordless cry. He kicked at the little table next to the couch so that it tumbled over, the vase standing on it shattering as it fell to the floor with a crash.

“How _could_ you do this to me!?”

“...”

Taiga had never seen him this angry.

Outside, Mayuzumi and Harasawa both jumped in surprise at the loud noise as well as the master’s sudden outburst.

“You’ve been laying with a lowlife! Spreading your legs for him like a whore!”

The accusing, _offending_ words ignited anger in Taiga as well. Never would he have thought that Seijuuro would say such a thing to him. But he could control himself better than his brother and spoke calmly as he narrowed his eyes at him.

“No, Sei. Daiki and I _made love_.”

“I will not hear this.”

“And we did it many times.”

“Quiet!”

“It was beautiful and I enjoyed every moment of it.”

_Slap_

Taiga’s head snapped to the side as Seijuuro struck him across the face. This was the first time the other had ever hit him.

“Not. Another. _Word!”_

Again he didn’t listen.

“I love him.”

“Love!?” Seijuuro roared and raised his hand again as if to hit Taiga a second time, but stopped himself before he could, “You know _nothing_ of love! _I_ love you! Whatever you feel for that _rat_ means _nothing!_ It is a vile delusion, a disease _he_ infected you with! You don’t love him and _he_ certainly doesn’t love _you!_ ”

“You’re wrong!”

Seijuuro stilled.

_Wrong?_

No, he couldn’t be wrong. He didn’t possess that flaw to begin with. Mother told him, after all, that he was absolute. That he was always right. There was no such thing as him being wrong.

_Mother_

“Do not speak to me like that! I am _not_ wrong, do you hear me?! I’m not _wrong!_ ”, he snapped violently, causing Taiga to flinch. But he didn’t let that discourage him.

“No matter what you say I still love him and I know he feels the same. I felt it whenever he took me.”

A look of disgust twisted the older’s face.

“Tch! Your virtue was not his to take; it was _mine_ ! Now you’re tainted, _sullied_ by his filth!”

“Then disown me! If I am such a disgrace and so filthy there is no reason for you to marry me anymore. You have the full right to throw me out! Do it, I don’t care!”

_At least then I’ll be free_

…

“Disown you? And let you go?” Seijuuro asked lowly, his wide eyes now lost in a crazed, thoughtful haze. He shook his head and chuckled.

“No. _No_ ...I think not. You belong to me, Taiga, and I still love you. _Want_ you. I love you too much to let someone else have you. Yes, we simply need to cleanse you from that rat’s filth. Father Kiyoshi at the Rakuzan state church will be more than happy to help.”

His face lit up with realization when he considered the matter further.

“I understand now. He seduced you, took advantage of your innocence and naive nature. Yes, your kindness must have encouraged him. He did it to spite me...knowing that you belong to me but took you regardless. It could only have been out of contempt. A wicked rat driven by its beastly lust and desire for the unattainable...”

“Sei, I am not yours.”

A wide unhinged smile slowly parted Seijuuro’s lips. When he lifted his face to look at him, Taiga shivered at the sight of it.

“Oh but you _are_. Even mother says so.”

Mother?

“Mother…” Seijuuro muttered and looked back over his left shoulder ”...tell him.”

…

“Did you hear that, my _love_? She insists.”

There was no one behind him. No one had answered him.

Taiga felt his frown soften into a worried one.

“Sei what are you talking abou-”

Seijuuro passed him, expression suddenly back to its normal, calm self, and opened the door. The two servants quickly straightened and nervously awaited further instructions. They did not dare to look at him, however, as they both feared his wrath.

“Take him to his room.”

Not daring to hesitate for even a second the two of the went into the room and took hold of Taiga- one arm each- who immediately began to struggle.

“Let go of me!”

“Do forgive me, Taiga-sama,” Harasawa muttered, sounding genuine in his apology. Mayuzumi remained quiet, however, and grit his teeth in annoyance at the resistance they were met with.

They hauled him out with some difficulty, following behind Seijuuro who went ahead of them. When they reached Taiga’s room, the older Akashi entered first and removed the key that sat in the keyhole on the inner side. Taiga’s key. Then he turned to the servants and motioned for them to enter.

“Sei!”

While he was still being held, Seijuuro took hold of his chin.

“You only have yourself to blame, Taiga. And while it certainly pains me, I shall have you punished tomorrow.”

“I won’t marry you.”

“You will. Once that boy is out of our lives you will soon forget him.”

The statement made Taiga feel sick in his stomach.

“What are you going to do to him?” He asked desperately but received no answer.

Seijuuro loosened his fingers which allowed the younger to escape his grip and began to make his way towards the door. The servants let go of Taiga at his command and followed him. The door was quickly slammed shut and locked before the younger Akashi could reach it. The key was handled to Harasawa.

“You shall guard him while I am gone. He does not leave this room under any circumstances, is that clear?”

“Y-yes, my lord. May I ask where you are going?”

“There is someone I must speak with. I shall tell you the details later. Mayuzumi, you are accompanying me.”

His faithful servant bowed.

“Yes.”

A loud thump was heard from Taiga’s room as said noble slammed a fist against the door to gain attention.

“Sei! What are you going to do to him!?” He demanded loudly but again received no answer.

With a scoff Seijuuro moved to leave but just like Taiga, Mayuzumi was also curious about the kennel worker’s punishment. To be honest he was surprised that Seijuuro did not seem to be in a hurry to confront the boy.

“Seijuuro-sama...what indeed _are_ you going to do?” he asked carefully and the master stilled, eyes darkening for a brief moment. There were so many things that he wished to do to that rat. Perhaps it would have been for the better to confront him directly and lock him up as well.

However…

“We leave him be for now,” he stated simply.

Confused, Mayuzumi questioned his decision.

“But, my lord, wha-”

“Of course I shall have him punished. But for now we will say nothing. This stays between the three of us; no servants are to be informed of this until I say otherwise.”

The reasoning behind his decision to prolong the confrontation was that it simply fit his plan better. He’d already decided the punishment and he wouldn’t give Daiki the luxury of mentally preparing himself and find resolve for the horror that awaited him. Happily unaware, under the illusion of hope and security, only to have all of it taken away from him, _ripped_ from him, without warning. The shocked, dreadful look that Daiki would undoubtedly make when he learned of his fate only seconds before it was set into action, was something Seijuuro very much looked forward to see. Perhaps the shock alone would break him.

Mayuzumi gulped at the sinister grin he spotted on the master’s face. Even though Seijuuro had not explained his reasoning to him, he accepted the decision without inquiring further.

“Yes, my lord,” he simply answered.

“I shall have Nebuya guard the back entrance and Kuro the kitchen just in case. No doubt has the boy sneaked his way in through there with Taiga’s help.”

Harasawa did not like this. Daiki taken away? Where? He knew it had something to do with where Seijuuro was going. Remembering what happened to Inoue, he suspected prison. But he doubted that would be enough for Seijuuro. While Inoue had _attempted_ to take Taiga, Daiki had actually done it. He knew what Daiki had done was unforgivable but he still had a soft spot for the boy, due to his relations with his father. He felt responsible for him.

Of course, he’d never thought this would happen. How could Daiki have been so foolish?

As if reading his mind, Seijuuro addressed him with a cold stare.

“Harasawa, this is the second time you have been responsible for the employment of an insolent servant. First that footman boy and now this. I am beginning to question your judgement.”

_Though Inoue was nothing compared to this._

“I am very sor-”

“In respect of your loyalty and many years serving this house I shall only let you off with a warning. Should it happen again, however, I will not be as tolerant. Remember that.”

“I understand.”

“Mayuzumi, have a carriage ready. I shall go and dress myself more appropriately.”

Taiga had been listening to the conversation, ear pressed against the door, and was relieved that his brother wasn’t going to confront Daiki yet. And he hadn’t even considered that the balcony was a possible way to Taiga’s room. As long as no one found out, Daiki could still reach him and their plan of running away was still possible.

Now all he had to do was wait.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cat's out of the bag. I'm looking forward to writing the next chap for reasons that i won't say :3
> 
> And Seijuuro's mother issue will be explained later on.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Visit to the asylum, woho! As always thank you for the comments, kudos and overall support <3
> 
> !!! I'm going on vacation next week so it's likely that there won't be a chapter. I will probably write some anyway, but I probably won't be able to finish it by next weekend. 
> 
> !!! Warnings: This chapter might contain some disturbing elements but personally I don't think it's that bad. But just to be sure. 
> 
> !! Reference pics on my tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/makkuro94

 

Kirisaki Daiichi was one of the more isolated asylums in Teikou. It lay a good distance north of Rakuzan - about half an hour by carriage- in a small forest known for its eerie silence, lack of wildlife and constant cloak of mist. The only way to get to the establishment was by a single road lined on each side with sickly grey trees that had been dead for years. There were stories and rumors of the forest being haunted and thus very few people dared to get close.

Superstitious nonsense, in Seijuuro’s opinion.

When his carriage came to a halt and he stepped out, he did not bother to take his time observing the place’s outer appearance. He’d seen it before and there was frankly not much to look at.

It was a dreary place to say the least. The outer walls were made entirely of brown bricks, although some of them had become discolored and cracked with time. The high roof was black and stretched upwards to form tall towers in each corner of the building. Above the big double door entrance sat a grand clock with black stone for its base and shiny gold for numbers and pointers. All windows were barred with darkened iron on the outside and a high barb-wire fence surrounded the whole building. A patch of green-yellow grass made up a little courtyard where the patients could stretch their limbs with short walks. Very short.

Not a place anyone with common sense would visit unless absolutely necessary or willingly stay in for a long time. But then again, the majority of the building’s residents were far from _willing_.

On the stone steps leading up to the entrance stood a pale man with shoulder-length black hair and grey eyes. He wore a black suit over a simple white button-up and a violet tie that had been loosened after a day’s work sat beneath the collar.

It was none other than Makoto Hanamiya, the director and owner of the asylum.

“So good to see you again, Seijuuro-sama. It is always a pleasure to be graced by your company,” he greeted with a sickly-sweet smile and bowed his head low. There was nothing genuine about the gesture; in fact, there was a clear hint of mockery in his voice as he spoke. However, Seijuuro chose not to pay it any mind. He was used to the man’s ways and as long as he did not outer any direct words of disrespect he would tolerate it.

He replied the greeting with a “good evening,” but the politeness in his voice was forced and obviously not genuine either. It was just a simple formality, slightly better than to ignore the man and while he had spoken the short phrase he hadn’t made eye contact with him.

Hanamiya was not offended though. In fact, it only further amused him. This man in front of him was an interesting sight to behold.

Just like the last time they met a few months ago, Seijuuro had a strong air of indifference and superiority about him. Everything about him radiated power and a demand for respect. Even in such a place as an asylum in the middle of a dank forest he did not show any signs of discomfort or weakness. He stood straight, head held high and eyes uncaring.

On him he wore a black, double breasted ulster coat* with silver buttons, lace-up boots of fine black leather and thin black gloves of the same material. He had chosen to wear his crest ring as well as engagement ring on the outside of the gloves for all to see and in one of his hands he held a black walking cane* with a silver handle shaped like a lion’s head. Above him, sheltering him from the rain, Mayuzumi held an unfolded umbrella as he stood behind him. No doubt did the servant experience a few cold droplets on himself in his priority to keep his master dry.

A truly interesting sight indeed, Hanamiya thought and felt his grin widen.

Very dignified. 

“To what do I owe the honor of your visit this time? You were, if I may be so bold, rather unclear in your sudden call.”

It was rather late, about half past nine o’clock which was well after closing time and even though Hanamiya usually never received clients at that time, especially since said client had not made an appointment beforehand, he had made an exception. Seijuuro Akashi was a difficult man to refuse, after all.

“Yes,” Seijuuro began and once again spoke in a manner of indifference, “I apologize for the inconvenience. It is, as I told you, a matter of urgency that I’d rather discuss in person. Though surely you would not keep one of your clients explaining himself outside in this weather.”

“Oh of course not. Please, come in,” the black haired man replied and motioned towards the entrance with an exaggerated politeness.

The thick wooden doors creaked heavily as two guards opened them, allowing their superior and his guest to step inside.

“Shall I take your coat, Seijuuro-sama?” Mayuzumi asked behind him.

“No that will not be necessary. I do not plan on staying long.”

They crossed the lobby, making their way towards one of the large staircases leading up to Hanamiya’s office on the second floor. But before they reached it, the man halted and turned to the nobleman.

“Ah before we go to my office, would you perhaps like to see the addition you so kindly donated to our cause last time?”

Seijuuro glanced at him for a moment before letting out a small scoff.

“I have no interest in your broken toys.”

“Oh, do forgive me. I merely thought you might want to see the progress he has made. It would also allow one of the maids to prepare us some tea in the meantime.”

A sigh fell from the nobleman’s lips.

“Very well,” he replied but there was a great lack of enthusiasm in his voice.

They entered through a thick metal door at the end of the lobby, leading to a long corridor and it did not take long before the building’s true character and purpose became clear as day. It was almost like stepping into a whole different world in comparison to the clean and silent lobby.

The disturbing, hysterical screams and laughter of the many patients residing there echoed through the seemingly endless halls of stale white. Chains rattled and walls were being punched, kicked and headbutted against by patients that were desperate to rid themselves of their aggression, headaches _,_ visions or internal voices whispering to them.

Though despite these unpleasant noises, Seijuurou kept his head high and looked ahead of himself, completely unaffected. He had seen and heard it all before. Mayuzumi, on the other hand, was not quite as capable of such a feat. While he did not falter in his step, he felt himself shiver and cold sweat prickled at the back of his neck as well as on his forehead. It was a disturbing, ghastly place and in a moment of soft heart he felt sorry for Aomine who was to be put in there.

They stopped in front of a cell with iron bars. Inside was a young man with greasy, light brown hair that reached a little past his shoulders. He was wearing the standard Kirisaki Daiichi patient uniform; a white long sleeved shirt and matching loose pants with only an elastic waistband sewed into the inside of the fabric to keep them up. The clothes were ragged and dirty with stains, the shirt also sporting a number in the form of black thread. He wore nothing on his feet, however, and his nails were much longer than those of a human should be. Sharp and filthy underneath.

“This is number 1202,” Hanamiya introduced. He knocked on the bars to gain the attention of the patient who once went by the name Tomoya Inoue.

“1202, come and say hello to Seijuuro-sama.”

Upon the command, the boy raised his head and on all fours walked up to the bars. His tongue lolled out of his mouth as he panted and when his eyes settled on Seijuuro he let out a sound that mirrored that of a dog’s bark.

“Good boy,” Hanamiya praised with a smirk.

“I see you have made some...adjustments,” Seijuuro muttered as he looked down his nose at the wretched thing in front of him. Even his hunting dogs had more dignity than this filthy _mongrel_.

Hanamiya chuckled.

“Yes. You see, I have recently taken upon myself an apprentice and he needed something to practice on. I honestly did not expect 1202 to survive with the way his brain was poked and played with, but here he is, believing himself to be a dog for the rest of his life. Or as my dear apprentice expressed it, he has _found his true self_.”

Poked and played with. Both by physical instruments and manipulative words alike.

A look of disgust twisted the Akashi noble’s face, but there was also no denying the cruel satisfaction he felt at the sight. This boy had attempted to take Taiga, after all, and this was a suitable punishment.

“Woof!” 1202 barked, tongue still hanging out between his teeth, but when Seijuuro’s eyes narrowed at him he whined and with his head lowered crawled a few steps back away from the bars. He lowered himself, lying down flat on his stomach and eyes downcast to show submission.

“I believe we are done here. I have seen enough of this repulsive creature.”

“As you wish.”

The sight of the patient -and the foul stench of his cell- had caused Mayuzumi so much discomfort and unpleasantry that he had been forced to turn away from the cell, trying his best to will away the sick feeling in his gut. How Hanamiya was capable of spending his days in such a place was truly beyond his understanding.

They began to walk the corridor again in the direction they had come from and Seijuuro had only taken a few steps when he felt eyes on him. Out of odd curiosity he came to a halt and slowly turned to his right where a boy with short blonde hair and green eyes sat in a cell. When said boy was greeted by the full view of the noble’s face his eyes widened and a big, teeth revealing smile spread quickly on his lips.

_Those eyes. One red, one yellow. Powerful. Not of this world._

“I knew it!” He exclaimed in utter joy and threw himself to the floor in a bow of worship.

“I knew it wasn’t for nothing. I _knew_ you would come! Oh I have waited such a long time for this day! _Master._ ”

Arching a brow in question, the corners of his mouth curving in slight amusement, Seijuuro turned to Hanamiya.

“What have you done to this one?”

The asylum director chuckled.

“Nothing as of yet. He is rather new, you see. His mother feared for his sanity when she caught him sacrificing animals in the backyard at midnight, laughing and muttering to himself. The church refused to help him as he expressed his desire to serve the devil so he was given to us instead.”

A devil worshipper. Very amusing, indeed.

“He seems to have taken a strong liking to you, my lord.”

Seijuuro hummed and one last time glanced at the boy who stared at him in pure awe and admiration.

When they later entered Hanamiya’s office there was a tray holding two cups of steaming tea ready for them. Hanamiya took his seat behind his desk.

“Please, make yourself comfortable.”

Handing Mayuzumi his cane, Seijuuro made himself seated in one of the plush chairs in front of the desk. He crossed one leg over the other and propped his elbows on top of the velvet-padded armrests. It looked more like a throne, the way he sat with that powerful aura and elegant poise of his. For a moment Hanamiya felt as if it was no longer _his_ office. Mayuzumi stood behind him obediently with his hands clasped behind his back; all that was missing was a leash, the asylum director thought amusedly to himself.

There wasn’t much he feared. After working with lunatics for so many years he’d become hardened and nearly unshakable. However, he would be lying if he said that Seijuuro Akashi did not intimidate him. 

“I suspect you already know why I am here, even though you pretend not to,” the nobleman began and took one of the filled cups. Upon tasting the tea his nose scrunched in slight distaste - definitely not the finery he was so used to at home- but it would have to do nonetheless. He was slightly chilled from the rain, after all.

“I might have a few guesses.”

“Well just to be clear then. I wish to contribute with a new addition to your... _establishment_.”

“Oh?” Hanamiya feigned surprise, as if the thought had not occurred to him at all, “and you believe this person is in need of treatment? As you know, I cannot just take in anyone without making a thorough examination. I must be certain that this person is truly unwell. Accusing someone of insanity is quite a serious-”

Hanamiya stopped himself when a heavy bag of coins was tossed out upon his desk.

“I believe this should be enough,” Seijuuro said and leaned back in his seat.

With his grin widening Hanamiya inspected the bag, opened it and was instantly greeted with gleaming golden coins.

“Well, if you are certain then I suppose I have no choice. Though if I may ask, what has this unfortunate soul done to earn your decision of sending them here?” 

A dark look flashed in Seijuuro’s eyes. The fingers of his free hand slowly drummed against the armrest as he spoke up.

“He crossed me. He consciously touched and defiled what is mine, thus making me his enemy. If that is not insanity, I do not know what is. He is absolutely delusional.”

“I see,” Hanamiya chuckled. But his smirk fell for a moment when those cold eyes captured his with a long, threatening stare.

“It is no laughing matter. A filthy beast saw it fit to sully my _fiance_ with its grubby paws and slobber, stealing his virtue that rightfully belonged to me.”

“Forgive me, I meant no offense.”

Seijuuro set his cup back down on the tray. He had only finished half of it.

“You are forgiven.”

“I suspected you might be engaged when I saw that ring of yours. Congratulations.”

“Yes, thank you. Now, when are you able to take in the new subject? As soon as possible is my wish.”

“Ah, of course. It is much too late today but I can have a cell ready by noon tomorrow. Would you like me to send one of our own carts to your estate? To pick up and deliver the patient, I mean.”

“That would be appreciated, yes.”

“Very well.”

A document was signed by both men and some details were reviewed. And then Seijuuro began to list up quite a few gruesome things that he expected to be done to the future patient. Amputation of a certain lower body part, force feeding by a tube down the throat for every meal and whipping were only a few examples. He had every intention of making sure that Daiki’s permanent stay would be as unpleasant as possible. By the time he was done, even Hanamiya looked uncomfortable. Though neither he or Mayuzumi knew what disturbed them the most; the things Seijuuro had said, or the cold, uncaring manner in which he had spoken of them.

It seemed as if business had reached its end but after a minute of silence Seijuuro spoke up as he remembered something.

“Ah yes, one more thing. I believe you perform lobotomies* here in your establishment.”

Mayuzumi tensed behind him, eyes widening. Surely the master did not wish for-

“Yes that is correct.”

“Good. This new subject will be in need for that as well.”

The grey-haired servant bent down to quietly speak into the noble’s near.

“S-Seijuuro-sama, that’s-”

“Quiet,” his master interrupted him while still keeping his eyes ahead at Hanamiya.

Muttering an apology for his interference, Mayuzumi straightened himself back to his former position but his face now expressed his discomfort.

“Lobotomy is a rather sensitive topic and is frowned upon by many medics all over Teikou. While we do indeed perform them, it is not something we see as a standard treatment. Only few subjects are-”

“It was not a suggestion. You _will_ perform it. And I hear lobotomies easily end in failure, leading to some rather... _unfortunate_ results, which in this case is much desired. And by these results I do not mean death. He is to be kept alive for as long as possible.”

Death would be too merciful.

Hanamiya sighed in defeat. He knew that he very well could not refuse the man at this point.

“As you wish.”

A small smile curved Seijuuro’s lips.

“Excellent. Then I believe we are done here. Tomorrow at noon it is then.”

“Yes.”

“I shall see myself out, there is no need for you to escort me.”

He stood up and clicked his fingers for his cane which his servant was quick to hand him.

“I bid you a continued pleasant evening.”

And with that he left with Mayuzumi in tow, not waiting for a reply.

With a long sigh of relief, Hanamiya leaned back in his chair. He was exhausted.  

As an expert of psychology and mental illnesses, he had known from the moment he met Seijuuro that the man was not quite healthy in mind. He could tell that something was wrong but due to lack of-or access to - examination he didn’t know exactly what it was. And it seemed to  be growing even further still. He wondered how long it would take until the man broke.

Oh how he wanted to know what went on inside that head.  

“Such a fine specimen…” he muttered to himself with a sad shake of his head.

It truly was a shame that he was so out of reach.

At least for now.

“If you _do_ break I will be the one to claim you, _my lord,_ ” he muttered into the empty room with a small grin.

 

* * *

 

The ten first minutes of the ride home had been spent in silence. Seijuuro was looking out the window thoughtfully, elbow against the small windowsill and cheek resting against his closed fist. During this time he had noticed a certain tension and when he glanced at Mayuzumi through the corner of his eyes, the servant looked oddly troubled.

Seijuuro had his suspicions as to what it was about, remembering the man’s interference earlier in the office. A knowing smile graced his lips and he fully turned his eyes to the silent servant sitting opposite him.

“Do you disapprove of my decision?”

Flinching at being spoken to, as well as at the question itself, Mayuzumi raised his head with his eyes widened slightly. When he saw that the master not seemed to be angry with him he cleared his throat and relaxed. 

“It is not my place to approve or disapprove.”

“Oh but I can tell you were troubled during my conversation with Hanamiya. You even went as far as speaking out of turn in order to gain my attention concerning the matter. Or rather, _interrupted_ our conversation.”

“I-I meant no disrespect, my lord. I agree that Aomine did something unforgivable, truly, and that he must be punished.”

Smile still in place Seijuuro tilted his head questioningly.

“But?”

Mayuzumi hesitated. It really was not his place to question the other’s decision. Especially after what had transpired between Daiki and Taiga. Seijuuro had every right to be furious.

He swallowed as he carefully thought of the right words to use for his answer.

“A-ah…I was only thinking that a lobotomy might be unnecessary. Is not perhaps sending the boy to that dreary place for the rest of his life, as well as having him endure those other things you mentioned, punishment enough?”

“It is not.”

There was no hesitation in Seijuuro’s voice. He’d replied in a way that made his answer appear as if it would be obvious to anyone.

The amusement on his face was now gone.

“He has committed more than _one_ sin against me. Firstly, he disobeyed me. Secondly, he ignored my direct warning. Thirdly, he touched _my_ Taiga, my _betrothed,_ and stole his innocence in every way possible. And lastly, he made Taiga believe that what transpired between them was love, thus making him forget his pure love for _me_. He deserves a punishment worse than death.”

Swallowing again, his throat dry, Mayuzumi had to look away to escape those eyes. Instead he opted to stare down at his lap.

“It is as you say...Seijuuro-sama.”

But he couldn’t bring himself to agree to his own words.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Ulster coat - A coat with a small cape that goes around the shoulders, usually elbow length. Was quite popular in the victorian era. 
> 
> *Walking cane - During the victorian era, walking canes were used by young as well as older people because it was a way to show ones wealth and status. So it wasn't just something that old people used to support themselves with during walks. 
> 
> (The coat and cane can be seen on my tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/makkuro94)
> 
> *Lobotomy - A surgical procedure that were used to make patients in asylums "calm". An ice pick is inserted beneath the upper eyelid and cuts at the frontal lobes of the brain. I recommend you reading about it to get a better understanding. The "unfortunate results" that Seijuuro mentions is when people after this treatment pretty much turn into zombies. But yeah, read about it, it's disturbing but interesting!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty next chapter done! I've been on vacation and didn't have that much time to write. That's why the chapter is late. And now when I'm back I have lots of uni work to catch up to and next week there is an exam. But! The story is nearing its end, about four chapters or so, and I will try to get it done as soon as I can. This chapter was supposed to be longer but I didn't like the second part so I need to work on it to get it together, so you're getting this. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you for your overall support! You guys are angels <3

 

Taiga was restlessly pacing his room, hands fidgeting and eyes constantly shifting back and forth between the clock on the wall and the balcony. The time was nearing ten o’clock, about two hours since Seijuuro’s departure to wherever it was that he’d gone. Harasawa didn’t know either so the youngest Akashi had not bothered to ask him. In fact, the butler seemed to know next to nothing about what was happening at the moment. His only instructions were to guard the young master for the time being. 

Taiga took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his nerves but it didn’t help much. He was still a bit shaken from Seijuuro’s outburst earlier and of course due to the fact that his brother now knew everything. Not knowing what he had planned for both Taiga and Daiki, what kind of punishment that awaited them, was causing him a great deal of stress and worry. 

The young noble went to stand by the balcony door. He looked out through the glass with impatient eyes, anxiously awaiting his lover’s arrival. Ten or eleven, Daiki had said and Taiga felt his gut twist uncomfortably at the thought of having to wait for another hour.

_ ‘Please hurry’ _

He hoped Daiki would come to him before Seijuuro came back. And since he didn’t know when that was, there was no guarantee that his lover  _ would  _ come. Perhaps Seijuuro had already returned and was punishing Daiki at that very moment. 

Taiga decided then that if Daiki was not there within the next fifteen minutes, he would climb down the balcony and look for him.

“Taiga-sama, I hope you are not all too angry with me,” Harasawa suddenly spoke up from behind the door. He was still wide awake, straight in his posture and hands clasped tight behind his back. His expression was a mix of guilt, worry and disapproval of the youngsters’ actions. 

Taiga didn’t answer him. 

“You must understand that I am only doing my job. And duty, might I add, both as a Teikou citizen as well as the household butler. This affair of yours is very inappropriate and could easily taint the family’s reputation. I am acting with good intentions.”

“I don’t want to hear you justifying yourself,” the young Akashi snapped back and glared at the locked door. He scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the balcony window. Though he could sympathize with the older man a little. In order to keep his job-which was a very well paying one- he had to do as Seijuuro told him. It was also his job to support the family as well as protect its good name.       


Harasawa sighed and despite the young master’s words decided to speak again. 

“I just want you to know that I certainly wish that your brother is somewhat lenient with Daiki. I have known that boy for some time and I would not want to see him hurt. But I cannot accept his wrongdoings either. As a servant he should have known better. And please do forgive me for saying this but you have also been quite reckless in all this and had you not encouraged Daiki this would never have happened-”

“Have you ever been in love, Harasawa?” Taiga cut him off. 

There was a pause as the butler was surprised for a short moment. He considered the question before answering with another sigh.

“Indeed I have.”

“Then surely you can understand mine and Daiki’s situation and not blame us for being  _ reckless _ . And his wrongdoings? Daiki falling in love with me is one of the best things that have ever happened to me. How can that be  _ wrong _ ?”

_ You don't choose who you fall in love with.  _

Taiga did not say anything more after that. He had made his point and had nothing more to add and turned away from the door. Thankfully Harasawa was also quiet, silently reflecting on the response he had been given and suddenly felt a tinge of regret.    _   
_

Ten minutes later, as Taiga gazed through the glass he finally spotted his lover climbing over the railing of the balcony. A welcoming sight to behold, indeed. Not able to stop himself, his lips broke out into a big smile and great relief flooded him. But then Harasawa's presence came back to mind and the moment Daiki had gotten over the railing completely and straightened to look at him, he placed a finger to his lips silently telling him to be quiet. 

With a quick look over his shoulder, glancing at the locked door for a short moment, Taiga opened the balcony door as silently as he possibly could, but only wide enough for him to slip outside, and leaped into his lover’s arms. When he spoke, he did so with a hushed voice. 

“I’m so glad you’re alright.”

“Wha-” Daiki began but was silenced by a kiss. It was only brief, however, and he was just beginning to respond when Taiga pulled away. His expression was serious and he seemed stressed. 

“Harasawa is outside. Seijuuro knows about us. He found out earlier this evening...he saw the portrait and is furious. We have to leave  _ now.” _

Daiki was unable to hide his surprise; his eyes turned wide and he too felt a wave of panic. He remembered the way Seijuuro had looked at him that day in the kennel and shivered. He knew that after that warning, the master would not be lenient with him if he went against it. Losing his job would most likely not be the only punishment that awaited him. After all, merely looking at Taiga the wrong way had vexed Seijuuro greatly. 

“Where is he?” He asked after a quick recovery. There was no time to be shocked. His voice was a hushed whisper just like Taiga’s.    


“I don’t know. He left quite some time ago but could be back any second for all I know.”

“Then let’s go.” 

If Seijuuro was away then there was no reason for them to stay any longer and waste such an opportunity. Daiki didn’t care where the older Akashi had gone or why he had chosen to not confront him directly. He was running away with Taiga so they could be together; that was all he cared about. 

Taiga nodded and planted a quick kiss to his lips. 

“I packed a few things for us, I’ll just go in and get them real quick,” he said and hurried back inside to grab the satchel that he had packed earlier that day. 

Silently he tiptoed up to the bed where it lay, took it and went back to Daiki. He gave the door one last look, thinking about Harasawa who still stood unaware at the other side. A small sigh left him and then he turned away fully. 

“I am ready,” he said to the other and they began to climb down the thick vines. Daiki went first and once he was on the ground Taiga threw down the satchel at him which he caught with ease. It took a bit longer for Taiga to get down; he had only ever climbed up and only  _ once,  _ so he took it slow. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t scared -it was quite a long way down, after all - but he refused to let it show. Daiki knew this of course, both that his lover was indeed scared yet too proud to admit it, but chose to feign himself unaware of it. He suppressed a smirk when he heard Taiga breathe out a curse when looking down. 

When he finally reached the ground Daiki couldn’t help himself. 

“Very graceful,” he said teasingly and his grin widened at the glare sent his way by the other’s red eyes. 

“Let’s just go before Harasawa notices we’re gone.”

Taiga adjusted the satchel slung over his shoulder and began to walk but before he could get too far Daiki took hold of his arm and pulled him in for a kiss. As much as he liked to tease him, now was not the time. 

“I love you,” he told him when he pulled away and for a moment Taiga smiled. He hugged Daiki close and returned the words. 

And then they took off. Quickly they ran over the green lawn, through the garden and out on the gravelled road that lead away from the mansion. It was only when they reached the closed iron gate that they looked back to see if they had any pursuers. Both of them sighed with relief when it became apparent that no one was following them. Nebuya was at the backdoor and Kuro in the kitchen, but none of those places were close to Taiga’s balcony. And the evening darkness  that came with autumn served as a good cover. 

“Why are we not taking your horse?” Daiki asked as they began to climb over the stonewall next to the gate. To open it would produce a noise that they couldn’t risk anyone hearing. At the mention of Shiro Taiga felt a pang of sadness and shook his head. 

“I wanted to, but it is not a good idea. We would have to go to the stables and risk being seen, then saddle Shiro all the while keeping him quiet. And riding on him would also risk us getting seen, obviously, and even if we got away we wouldn’t be able to take him with us to Touou. We have to take a boat there, after all. So even if we took him, we’d have to part with him anyway.”

It made sense. Daiki understood Taiga’s reasoning, but he still wondered how they would be able to get to Rakuzan by foot before Seijuuro found them. They didn’t know when he was coming back but it was certain that once he did, he would send after them. They had to get as far away as possible and in comparison to horseback, their distance was reduced considerably on foot. 

Once they had gotten over the wall he said this and Taiga nodded. 

“I know. But we’ll also be less noticeable on foot. We will go through the forest, along the stream, and stay off the main road. People in these parts know who I am so it’s better to stay hidden. It might take a little longer but it will get us to Rakuzan nonetheless.”

And the forest gave the opportunity to hide if they were to be hunted down. 

“Right,” Daiki said and nodded. 

They began to run towards the forest that stretched along the main road leading to Rakuzan. While Daiki was relieved that everything had gone well so far and that Taiga was so willing to leave everything behind for him, he could not help but worry about his lover’s endurance and inexperience of a life without the comforts of the aristocratic lifestyle. In his mind, nobles tended to whine and complain as they weren’t used to hard work or hardships. Going through the forest, a place of harsh terrain, mud, bugs and the like, might be too trying for Taiga. Would he be able to walk through it for a whole night? He refused to think of him as a burden, but there  _ was _ a risk of Taiga slowing them down and that was something they couldn’t afford right now. 

“Taiga, I won’t be soft on you if you get tired. We have to continue no matter what,” he said just to be clear. Their current situation was serious and not to be taken lightly, after all. 

Taiga nodded as they hurried on a small path lined with trees on each side. 

“I know.”

So far he was familiar with the surroundings as he’d taken many rides with Shiro there. 

“I mean it,” Daiki persisted, “we can’t afford to spare any time to rest.”

This time Taiga came to a halt. He turned to the other with a frown as he realized what his lover actually meant. 

“I can  _ handle  _ it, Daiki.”

“I’m just-”

“I get it. You think I’m weaker than you because of my upbringing but I’m telling you now that I’m not. Even if I was I would not give up in a situation like this.  Don’t look down on me.”

A sense of guilt washed over him as he was scolded. 

“I’m sorry. I’m just...afraid.” It took a lot to admit it, but it was true. What if they were caught? He’d never see Taiga again and he was probably going to be tortured or at least hurt in some way. He couldn’t stop thinking about it.  


Seijuuro  _ knew _ about them. 

Daiki was terrified. 

His distress, that grew stronger the more he thought about it, was starting to show on him and upon witnessing it, Taiga forgot his anger and pulled Daiki into his arms. 

“It’s alright. I understand that you’re worried about me but really, you don’t have to worry.”

Daiki nodded and took a deep breath to calm himself. He raised his head to look into Taiga’s eyes and felt some of his worries lessen.

“I’m sorry.”

Taiga pecked him on the lips.   

“I know. Now come on, we have to keep going.”

They quickened their pace to the point of running and even if the dark prevented them from seeing much they didn't stop. They were too desperate to care about where they put their feet. And as they got farther into the woods, Taiga felt a thrill of excitement and sense of freedom that he'd never felt before. For a while all he could think about was a life outside the manor, a life where he was free to do whatever he wanted. A life with Daiki. 

 

* * *

 

 

Seijuuro was tired. Very much so. He had woken up early that morning, at six o’clock to be exact, and after a quick breakfast left for Rakuzan where he spent the whole day attending business-related errands. The meeting with the mentioned business partner concerning that new contract had taken a few hours and after lunch there were several other people of various character that required his attention. All in all, it had been a hectic day. 

And then when he became aware of Taiga’s betrayal, it added to the exhaustion and stress. After a whole day in the capital he then felt inclined to take yet another trip in the same direction, heading for Kirisaki Daiichi. 

So he’d thought that when he arrived home for the second time that day, the time now well over eleven in the evening, he thought that he might finally get some sleep. But alas, that luxury was unfortunately not what greeted him when the carriage came to a stop by the mansion once again. 

The second he stepped out, Harasawa approached with a panic-struck expression on his face. The butler wasn’t supposed to be there. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Seijuuro bit out irritably, his tiredness adding to his growing annoyance. There was only so much he could take in one day. 

“Taiga-sama has escaped his room...with Daiki.”

“ _ What _ ?!”

Harasawa gulped.    


“I-it seems he climbed down the balcony. I just meant to check on him but his room was empty and the balcony door stood ajar. And Daiki is nowhere to be found so it is very likely they have gone together. Also, it seems that Taiga-sama left you a letter,” the butler trailed off as he reached into his breast pocket to bring said object out. When he offered it to Seijuuro he was surprised to have his hand slapped away by said noble. 

“Get that thing away from me!” Seijuuro snapped violently. He knew what the letter contained and refused to accept it. He had no desire whatsoever to read Taiga’s words of rejection and reasons for betraying him like this. There was nothing that could excuse his behavior other than Daiki’s brainwashing. 

“I care not for his  _ letter _ ! Your job was to guard him and you let him get away! You insolent,  _ incompetent  _ lowlife!”

“I-”

“Perhaps you let him go on purpose. It would make sense, considering your connection with that Aomine rat. When it comes to him you are soft, are you not? After all,  _ you  _ were the one who recommended him out of pity.”

Harasawa flinched at the accusation, eyes widening even further. 

“No, I assure you!” He tried but Seijuuro did not look convinced. However, at the moment he could not afford to waste time with the butler. He would deal with him later as there was obviously a more pressing matter to attend. 

“How long has he been missing?”

Ashamed of himself -and discouraged from the master’s insulting words- Harasawa lowered his head. 

“I am not sure but I discovered Taiga-sama’s room to be empty about half an hour ago. Though I can confirm that he was present at ten o’clock. ”

A sense of guilt washed over him as he for a moment hoped that Daiki and Taiga wouldn’t be found, that they would successfully get away and live a happy life together. Taiga’s words from earlier had made him reconsider the situation. 

He knew that as the highest ranked servant of the house he was supposed to support and accept all of his master’s decisions, but at that moment he couldn’t bring himself to do that. He thought that it would be very unfortunate if Seijuuro was to catch the two youngsters. 

“Get the dogs,” Seijuuro muttered lowly and unfortunately for Harasawa, he couldn’t make out the words and when he asked the other what he’d said he was snapped at. He flinched at the violent outburst sent his way.  

“I said get the dogs! Take Nebuya with you and wake Kagetora; all dogs will be used to find them, can you understand that at least?”

“Yes…”

“And get my horse ready. I shall join the hunt.”

Hunt.

Harasawa didn’t like the use of that word to this particular situation. He knew that the Akashi head would leave Taiga unharmed, but Daiki was another story. He was still not completely sure what Seijuuro had in mind concerning the young kennel worker. But he chose not to comment on it as he was already in a bad position and wanted no more scolding.    


“As you wish.”

When Kagetora was informed of the situation he too was shocked. He had seen Daiki go to his room after they’d bid each other good night and didn’t sense anything different in his behavior. To think that he’d actually planned to run away with Taiga was outrageous. 

“I assure you, Seijuuro-sama, had I known I would have stopped him.”

“Naturally you would.”

“I cannot believe he did such a thi-”

“Stop wasting time and get to it!” 

With a quick bow Kagetora did as told and with the assistance of Nebuya readied all dogs in ten minutes. Neither of the two servants had ever seen the master so angry and during the whole time that they’d performed their task, Seijuuro’s eyes constantly on them, they’d been on edge. 

_'I am surrounded by incompetence',_ the nobleman thought bitterly to himself.  _  
_

Wakamatsu had not been woken up to ready Yukimaru, Seijuuro’s horse, as Mayuzumi and Harasawa were given the task. The fewer servants that were aware of the situation, the better. Especially Wakamatsu who shared a friendship with Daiki. 

Once Yukimaru was saddled and ready, Seijuuro mounted him and was given his shotgun by Mayuzumi. When the grey haired servant handed it over to his master as ordered, his hands trembled and there was a look of worry on his face. He didn’t like this. Did Seijuuro really mean to shoot Daiki? To treat him like one of the animals he liked to hunt? 

“E-excuse me, Seijuuro-sama, but do you truly intend to shoot Aomine?” 

He hoped that the weapon was only meant as an intimidation factor. But he knew very well that it was loaded. 

Seijuuro glanced down at him from his horse and his face sported a cold, yet unreadable expression. He scoffed and with a nonchalant shrug of indifference raised his gaze back up to stare ahead of himself. 

“If he refuses to comply and still insists on his claim over Taiga, then yes. However, I will give him a chance to back down and if I do indeed shoot I shall avoid any vital parts. As much as I want him dead I want his suffering to be a long one.”

After all, he still had every intention to see through Daiki’s departure to Kirisaki Daiichi.

Mayuzumi could not believe what he was hearing. Even if his master might not kill Daiki directly with the shot, it was still too drastic in his opinion. Wasn’t the asylum enough? This was getting out of hand. He was beginning to question Seijuuro's feelings for Taiga all together. Perhaps it was not love, but rather obsession.   


“Please reconsider! Once they are found, Daiki will pay for his crime by being sent off to-”

“Quiet! Do  _ not  _ anger me any further,” Seijuuro roared, making the servant wince. Then as an afterthought he added while boring his eyes into Mayuzumi’s, “Or do you intend to get in my way?”

As he said this he aimed his gun at the wide-eyed servant.

Swallowing hard in his throat, eyes on the weapon that was only a short distance from his face, Mayuzumi shook his head. 

“O-of course not. Please forgive me for speaking out of turn.”

Seijuuro held his pleading stare and after a moment of consideration, deeming the apology a sincere one, he slowly diverted the gun. He didn’t say anything though and when Nebuya and Kagetora approached with the hounds he urged his horse forward. 

Mayuzumi knew he was meant to follow and he did so without question. He held his head lowered the entire time, hiding his expression of guilt and discomfort.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually one of the few chapters I am not satisfied with. I admit it's a bit rushed and I'll try to do better next time : 3 it's the chapters after next one that I look forward to writing.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter! we're slowly but surely approaching the end of the story. By my calculations there will be max 5 more chapters. If I don't get a new random idea that i want to include -it has happened before - but for now i'm sticking to that. 
> 
> Thank you all for the comments, kudos and support! <3

 

 

They had been on the run for roughly forty five minutes, currently in the process of crossing a creak, when they heard the faint noise of dogs barking in the distance. There were quite a lot of them by the sound of it and it didn’t take long for them to realize who they belonged to. Daiki had heard those barks every day in the kennel for many weeks and would recognize them anywhere.

Seijuuro was coming for them. With his hounds.

The fact became even more apparent when they caught small, yellow spots of lantern lights in the far distant darkness between the trees.  

Taiga was mortified. When the horrible realization hit him he had frozen on the spot and with his entire body trembling, eyes wide, began to imagine what would happen if those beasts caught up to them.

He was terrified of dogs in general but he could tolerate some of them, like Kuro, as the domestication made them more kind in nature. Seijuuro’s hounds were different, however. They were trained to hunt, to bite, to scratch. They were beasts. Even if Daiki had worked with them, they were not pets. And acting on their master’s orders added to their ferocity and natural ability to hunt down animals. They were not _kind_.

Taiga suddenly felt himself having trouble breathing.

“Taiga, come on,” Daiki urged and stretched his hand out to help the other over the streaming water.

But the young noble didn’t move. He didn’t respond as Daiki tried to talk to him, too occupied with his fear -caught up in a panic attack- to hear him.

“Taiga!”

“They’re coming. They will catch up to us...they’ll bite,” Taiga muttered to himself and snapped his eyes shut as he recalled that time when he was ten years old. It was a rottweiler that bit him. Big and mean with a loud, aggressive bark. Not much different than the ones he could hear getting closer by the second.

 _Big sharp teeth_ -

“Taiga!” Daiki yelled again and had crossed the water again to take hold of him. He grabbed Taiga’s shoulders and began to shake him.

“Come on, we have to hurry or they’ll catch up!”

This time Taiga responded.

“I’m scared of them, Daiki.”

“I know.”

“They’ll catch up on us and then-”

“Forget about them! Come on, if we stay here then _yes_ they’ll catch up. Now stop whining and let’s go! We gotta find some place to hide.”

But how could they outrun trained hounds?

Taiga was already tired and out of breath. The harsh and uneven terrain proved to be more challenging than he’d first thought. And as he thought about it, he realized how naive and stupid he’d been. Earlier he was so confident that the forest was the most advantageous way to go and while it did indeed provide many good hiding spots, that meant very little against hunting dogs with an excellent sense of smell. Though in Taiga’s defence, he had not counted on Seijuuro actually using his dogs.

There was no way they could escape them.

Despite these negative thoughts he decided to continue and together with his lover jumped over to the other side of the creak. He would keep his thoughts to himself for now and cherish the time he and Daiki had together. Who knew how long that would be.

They ran between the trees, over thick roots, logs and rocks, through tall plants and wild grass while always making sure not to stray too far from the stream that lead towards Rakuzan. It was their only landmark in their desperate escape.

No matter how fast they ran or how far they got, however, they couldn’t shake off the barks and howls. The hounds were on their tracks.

“Daiki, we can’t-” Taiga began dreadingly but was cut off by Daiki who motioned towards a dense gathering of bushes and vines lying ahead.

“Through there,” he said and took hold of one of Taiga’s arms. The nobleman nearly tripped over his own feet as he was dragged by Daiki in their sprint.

Having a little knowledge about hunting dogs, Daiki knew that they would most likely not be able to completely outrun the ones coming after them. It would be near impossible. However, there were ways to buy time. Running through bushes and shrubs would spread their scent through the tangle and confuse the dogs for a moment, making it difficult for them to follow it. However, this was more effective if the dogs were leading and ahead of the handler. Seijuuro and Kagetora would know what they were up to and urge the dogs to get around the bushes. However, even that would take a little bit of time.*

Without hesitation, the two youngsters ran into the bushes and did not stop despite the unpleasantry and discomfort they were met with. Branches whipped against their faces and limbs, thorns biting through clothes and into their skin painfully. When they finally made it through, there were several red marks on their cheeks, some of them bleeding, and parts of their clothing were torn.

But again they did not stop, desperate to get away.

Seijuuro had from the beginning suspected, although not been quite certain, which way his brother and Daiki had taken. What he _was_ sure of, however, was that their intended destination was Rakuzan. A big city with many places to hide.  

If they were to take the main road they would first have to go through Josei where everyone knew who Taiga was. Despite the late hour the local tavern was open and many of the townspeople spent time there. While the main road was the faster and smoother path, they would be completely visible and also risked meeting people acquainted with the Akashi family.   

Therefore he found it more likely that they’d gone through the forest, using the stream to navigate. And this suspicion was confirmed when the dogs took off in that direction. Kagetora had let them sniff a shirt that belonged to Daiki and being so familiar with his scent now, it didn’t take long before they picked up a trail.

The forest it was. Taiga and Daiki wanted to stay hidden, to make it difficult for Seijuuro to find them.

They thought they could get away.  

“What nonsense,” Seijuuro muttered after a humorless snort.

As if he’d ever let Taiga escape.  

“Seijuuro-sama, it seems we are catching up.”

The only response he gave Kagetora was a grunt of acknowledgement and urged his horse forward into a faster pace than prior. He was growing impatient and longed for some sleep.

Among the three servants, Kagetora had been given a horse due to his position as dog trainer. During hunts it was he who gave the most commands and knew exactly how to control them. That’s not to say they did not obey Seijuuro as he’d joined quite a few training sessions himself, but the Akashi head did not deem it his job to command them.

There was also Kagetora’s age to consider. It took many years to train young hunting dogs to such a level and the harsh terrain of the forest would be too much for his body to cope. He wasn’t unfit, but he was considerably older than the youngsters they were tracking.

Mayuzumi and Nebuya, however, were on foot and as the dog trainer along with Seijuuro took off, they too quickened their pace into a jog after them. As gamekeeper Nebuya was used to the forest terrain and spent much time of his working days walking the grounds to make sure the wildlife was healthy as well as keeping lookout for poachers. Thus he possessed formidable endurance. Mayuzumi, however, was another story. The only exercise he usually got was walking the stairs of the Akashi manor. He was breathing heavily and his legs had begun to ache. But he dared not slow down.

A few minutes later they came to a brief halt as the dogs were currently sniffing their way around a wide arrangement of bushes. They seemed a bit confused and paced the area back and forth with their noses pressed to the ground. Two of them had attempted to go through the tangled mess and had a bit of trouble to get out.

Kagetora recognized the strategy. It had most probably been Daiki’s idea and he secretly thought of it as a good thing. Perhaps he could stall some more time as well by taking a little longer to get the dogs back on track.

While he attempted to do that, the two runaways were still sprinting through the dark. They were out of breath and their hearts beat so hard that it felt as if they’d burst.

Taiga had never been this exhausted in his life. His throat burned, his legs were heavy and his feet hurt from the constant running on uneven ground.

But he wouldn’t give up. He _couldn’t._

The dogs’ barks and howls that had -to their great relief- been silenced for a short while, resumed.

 _‘Shit. Already?’_ Daiki thought to himself. Granted, the plan would only buy them a small amount of time but it felt like the dogs had gotten back on track too quickly. Maybe it felt like that due to the situation.

But Daiki knew that if they kept running the dogs would tire. Hunting dogs, and also dogs in general, weren’t very good at running long distances and tired easily. If he and Taiga could push themselves a bit longer they might get away. Or at least buy even more time until the hounds were rested.

With this in mind he urged himself and Taiga to keep up the speed they were going at.

But then something unfortunate happened. A few more minutes passed before Daiki’s feet suddenly hit a thick root that he hadn’t been able to spot due to the dark. He couldn’t prevent the fall and due to his fast pace he tripped, landing hard on the ground.

Taiga immediately came to a halt. With his eyes going wide with worry he was quick to kneel down next to the other.

“Are you alright?”

Daiki took a few deep breaths before he gave off a nod.

“Yeah...I think so.”

But when he tried to stand, he winced at the painful spark that ignited in his foot.

He’d sprained his ankle.

“Damn it…”

Thankfully it wasn’t broken, but it hurt too much to stand on it. Taiga had to help him up.

“Can you walk?”

“Of course,” he replied, stubborn as he was.

But he only took one step before he realized that, no, he could not walk. Taiga caught him as he stumbled forward with a pained grunt.

“No you can’t.”

Gritting his teeth, Daiki hid his face in Taiga’s chest. He was now an invalid; they couldn’t run, they had lost speed and they’d get caught.

The fear came back at full force.

“I’m sorry, Taiga,” he grit out and tears of frustration prickled in the corners of his eyes. And even when his lover assured him it wasn’t his fault while softly stroking his head, he didn’t calm down. As if he could stop blaming himself when it _clearly_ was his fault. And when he said this Taiga shook his head stubbornly.

“It’s dark out; we’ve been running all this time barely seeing what’s in front of us. It could have happened to me too! And it’s a miracle we haven’t hurt ourselves up until now.”

He meant what he said. He didn’t blame Daiki but the situation now _did_ look quite bleak. If not hopeless. But even if they were to be caught, Taiga wouldn’t stop here and wait for it to happen. Instead he was determined to carry Daiki on his back as far as he could.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Carrying you.”

Daiki shook his head and attempted to get down but Taiga wouldn’t let him. It was a difficult struggle but at the moment Taiga was the one with the most willpower.

“Put me down, Taiga!”

“No. I will carry you whether you like it or not.”

“There is no point in it now! We’ve lost and it won’t be long before they catch us!”

“So what? Even if that’s true I won’t sit here and wait for them. And you’re wrong, Daiki, we haven’t lost yet. _Giving up,_ however, is losing.”

Taiga’s stubbornness and positive attitude was admirable, but even so, Daiki could not bring himself to hope. And even if Taiga spoke those words of encouragement just now, both of them knew that it was hopeless. But he chose not to say anything and rested his forehead against one of Taiga’s shoulders.

They weren’t moving very fast. Since the two of them were about the same size, Taiga couldn’t run while carrying Daiki. The fastest he could manage was a little slower than a jog. And it certainly didn’t help that he was exhausted and in a desperate need for a rest.

The barking was louder and closer now and the light coming from the lanterns was stronger.

For ten more minutes Taiga endured until his knees finally gave in. With his last strength he put Daiki down as carefully as he could, apologizing for his weakness, and fell down to the ground on his hands and knees.

His whole body ached, head swimming and his vision had begun to blur. He panted heavily and droplets of sweat fell from his forehead and temples.

Daiki was also seated. It hurt too much to stand and upon seeing his lover in such a state made him disgusted with himself for being to careless. It was his fault.

“I’m sorry,” he managed to get out and had to bite his lower lip to stifle a sob.

Taiga looked at him and shook his head with a reassuring smile. Still on his hands and knees he crawled up to him and pecked him on the lips.

“Don’t say that.”

Then his smile fell and was replaced by a serious expression.

“I love you,” he said and initiated another kiss. A deeper and longer one than the last. Daiki of course returned it with full force; it was likely it would be their last.

That was how they were found. The hounds were first and surrounded them in a circle, barking and snapping their jaws. Taiga, despite his terrified state, glared at them and prepared himself in case of them approaching further. He was ready to shield his injured lover.

Then a sharp whistle followed by a short command and a brief moment later Kagetora appeared along with Seijuuro. The dogs backed and sat down, getting some well-needed rest.

When his horse had come to a halt, Kagetora avoided looking at the two youngsters who were still kissing each other. It wasn’t until Seijuuro decided to fire his shotgun up towards the sky, the loud sound startling everyone, that they pulled away from each other.

Words could not describe the utter _rage_ Seijuuro felt after watching his fiance kissing that dirty lowlife; to watch those soft and sweet lips get _sullied_. But he masked that rage best he could and with a cold expression of superiority approached the two youngsters a bit closer before pulling the reins of his horse in a silent command to stop.

He glared down at Taiga sternly as he spoke up.

“It seems you need to be more disciplined than I thought. I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am in this outrageous behavior of yours.”

Taiga scoffed.

“There is nothing wrong with my _behavior._ Either way, _you_ are the one who caused it. If you’d only let me decide for myself and do what I want then I wouldn’t-”

“Enough. It is much too late for this. Now stop your childish nonsense, Taiga, and come here. It is time to go home.”

“No.”

Taiga pulled Daiki into his arms and held him close protectively. With defiance in his eyes he stared up at his brother.

The constant disobedience caused Seijuuro’s hand tighten around the handle of his gun.

“Get away from him, Taiga.”

Taiga shook his head and pressed himself closer to his lover.

“I won’t.”

“I said get _away_ from him!”

“And I said I _won’t_!”

Seijuuro sighed.

“Nebuya, remove him.”

The gamekeeper obeyed and approached the two lovers. He was big and strong and even as Taiga delivered a punch to his face he did not stop. He took hold of the young Akashi and hauled him off easily despite the resistance that met him. Taiga was by no means weak, but Nebuya was stronger. Bulkier.

“Let go of me!”

But of course Nebuya didn’t listen. He had no reason to. He barely knew Taiga and was completely loyal to Seijuuro.

Taiga felt dread unlike any other when he saw his brother point his shotgun at Daiki who was now completely vulnerable. The kennel worker’s blue eyes went wide when faced with the weapon and forgot all about his sprained ankle. One pull of the trigger and he’d be dead. All he could hear was the pounding of his own heart.  

“No! Please, Sei! I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t do it!”

For a while Seijuuro didn’t respond. He kept his weapon still aimed at the, in his own mind, filthy rat that had attempted to kidnap his fiance. There was a brief second where he seriously considered the thought of ending Daiki’s life right then and there, but then remembered his Kirisaki Daiichi plan and how merciful a quick death would be. Though since Taiga was unaware of those plans, Seijuuro decided to take advantage of it and thus did not lower the gun.

“Then I want you to end this farce and tell him straight out that you do not love him and that you belong to me,” he said and slowly let his eyes leave the blue haired servant and instead settle on his panic-stricken fiance.

When he received no direct reply his scowl darkened further.

“Say it, Taiga, or I swear I will end him right here.”

He emphasized his point by motioning with his shotgun and upon seeing the movement Taiga was quick to obey. With tears starting to form in his eyes he looked at Daiki and prepared himself to speak the words he had been commanded to say.

“Don’t you dare say it, Taiga!” Daiki yelled despite his current condition. Just like his lover he knew that Taiga wouldn’t mean what he said, but he still didn’t want to hear it from his mouth, from his voice. It would be too real.

But Taiga didn’t listen. He was convinced that if he did what Seijuuro wanted, his brother would be somewhat merciful and make Daiki’s punishment a bit more bearable. If he could save him even a little bit then he would.  

“Daiki,” he began with a trembling voice. His eyes fell shut and the tears in them began to fall down his cheeks, “I don’t love you. I’m engaged to Seijuuro and belong to him. I...love him.”

The words were painful to utter even if he didn’t mean them.

Daiki lowered his head in disappointment and felt his own eyes now prickle with tears.

He was too weak to do anything. He couldn’t save either of them.

A small smirk tugged at Seijuuro’s lips. Hearing his dear Taiga say those words was like music to his ears. And the pained look on Daiki’s face pleased him greatly.

“You will not hurt him, will you?” Taiga asked, desperate to hear his brother confirm his end of the bargain.

“No, I will not.”

It wasn’t a lie. Seijuuro wouldn’t hurt him as he’d leave all that dirty work to Hanamiya and his assistants.

Taiga, unaware of that fact, showed a bit of relief despite the dire situation. Their plan had failed and he wouldn’t be able to be with Daiki. He probably wouldn’t see him again. A life of misery and restriction awaited him. But that meant nothing if the love of his life would be spared.

Though never in his life had he believed that Seijuuro could be so cruel.

“Nebuya, take Aomine back to the kennel. Taiga, I trust you shall be able to walk by yourself and _behave._ ”

"Yes”, Taiga replied with his head lowered. Nebuya let go of him and instead directed his attention to the injured Daiki whom he easily lifted to his feet.  

Why did this have to happen? Why did Seijuuro have to be like this? Didn’t his happiness matter to him at all?

It wasn’t fair.

When they finally, after a long and silent walk, reached the manor, Daiki was led towards the kennel by the help of Nebuya. Though he struggled considerably and refused to make it easy for the gamekeeper.  

Taiga watched him be dragged away and he was just about to turn away when Mayuzumi suddenly appeared at his side.

“Do not think that he is out of danger just because you complied. Seijuuro-sama has other plans for him.”

Immediately Taiga turned to look at him.

“What do you mean?” He demanded harshly.

Mayuzumi hesitated. He wasn’t sure why he had told the other that just now. He probably shouldn’t as he was loyal to Seijuuro, but he felt sorry for the two youngsters. From what he had seen during the confrontation in the forest, it seemed like they truly did love each other and the guilt he’d begun to feel was growing. Perhaps it was cruel to reveal the truth but his conscience urged him to be honest with the young master. When he spoke again he did so in a hushed tone that revealed his pity.

“Tomorrow he is to be taken away to a rather dreadful place. Your brother may have promised not to hurt him, but that does not mean he won’t be harmed. Seijuuro-sama is quite furious with him and has every intention to have him suffer.”

Turning back to Daiki who was now even farther away, closer to the kennel, Taiga felt sick to his stomach at what he had just been told. His eyes darted to Seijuuro for a moment and his heart skipped a beat at the smug look on his face.

“Sei, what is going to happen to him? Don’t lie to me,” he said worriedly and with a pleading look on his face, desperately clinging to the hope that his brother wasn’t as heartless as he’d begun to suspect, met Seijuuro’s eyes.  

Seijuuro looked at him for a moment, smile widening. Now that Taiga was back home there was no reason to conceal anything. He had merely avoided the truth so that his fiance would be more compliant on the way home from the forest as it was more convenient and energy-saving for him. Now all that was left was to lock him up. Properly this time with no means to escape.

He got off his horse and walked up to his darling who was impatiently waiting to hear his answer.

“He is getting what he deserves.”

“Where is he going to be taken?” Taiga asked, altering his question, through his clenched teeth.

“I would rather not tell you, my dear, but I suppose it is only fair. After all, once we are married we shall never have any secrets for each other. Honesty is a virtue.”

Even as he looked upon his fiance’s tear-stained face, he couldn’t bring himself to feel sorry for him. In fact, he _wanted_ Taiga to hurt. After all, Taiga had hurt _him_ a great deal with his infidelity and it was time to return the favor. Then afterwards when Daiki was out of their lives they could start anew.

With smile still in place he took another step forward so that he was close to the other and lifted a hand to caress one of those soft cheeks like he so often did. But Taiga flinched away from the touch.

The older Akashi shrugged.

“Tomorrow he will be taken to Kirisaki Daiichi asylum and stay there for the rest of his miserable life. Though I suppose _miserable_ is an understatement for what awaits him.”

Seijuuro scoffed with some amusement as he considered the sight of Daiki in one of those barred cells while wearing that ugly uniform. But said amusement lasted only a short moment, coming to an abrupt end when his jaw was met by a strong fist. Smirk gone and eyes wide he slowly turned back from where the blow had forced his head, only to be met with Taiga’s furious face.

“You truly are the worst,” his younger brother hissed through his teeth.

Filled with disbelief, Seijuuro touched his stinging jaw to make sure he had not imagined it.

“You... _struck_ me?”

But Taiga did not answer. In fact, he was no longer standing there. He’d taken off to catch up to Daiki and Nebuya. And Seijuuro, still at a loss, only watched his retreating form dumbly.

“Let go of him, Nebuya!”

“Tch. I don’t think so.”

“Do as I say! Let go of him this instant!”

When the gamekeeper showed no signs of obeying, Taiga launched himself forward and grabbed onto Daiki. He attempted to pull him out of the bigger servant’s grip. He almost succeeded as Daiki also struggled, desperate to be with his red-haired lover.

But then Harasawa interfered. He hooked his elbows under Taiga’s shoulders and tore him away. Unsurprisingly the young noble began to curse at him while trying to get free.

"I won’t let you take him!”

By that time Seijuuro had recovered. He had not thought it possible, but he was even more furious now than prior. His temperament seemed to lack any limits today. With brisk steps he approached the struggle and ordered Mayuzumi to assist Harasawa in taking Taiga away.

With two against one, the young Akashi was losing and the two servants began to carry him towards the mansion where he would be locked up in his room and chained to the bed.

When Taiga shouted at Daiki that he loved him and had his words returned by him, Seijuuro impatiently told Mayuzumi and Harasawa to hurry up and leave. As they did, Taiga’s shouts becoming more and more faint, he decided to accompany the others to the kennel.

He wanted a word with Daiki before he went to bed. Some amusement after such a hard day.

Once they got inside, Daiki’s hands were bound behind his back but still held up straight by Nebuya’s strong arms. With his head lowered, Daiki refused to look at Seijuuro who stood in front of him.

“I do not know what madness came over you when you decided to go against me, but I must say no one has ever managed to anger me to such an extent as you. I would compliment you on that if I wasn’t so utterly _disgusted_.”

“I love him. That’s the only reason I have.”

“Love?” Seijuuro said with a condescending quirk of his brow. He looked almost amused.

“Your kind does not possess that ability. What you feel for him is nothing more than the beastly lust in that of a dog in heat _._ ”

Daiki grit his teeth, scowl darkening and this time he raised his head to look at the other.

“My _kind_?”

“Yes,” the Akashi nobleman said with an indifferent shrug, “ _your_ kind. I shall explain in a way even you can understand and end your vile delusion once and for all.”

“Tch, I won’t-”

“You see, Taiga is...hm, let’s see...a bird. Yes, a beautiful white dove.” He smiled fondly at the suitable comparison. But it was brief, his face hardening again as he turned back to Daiki.

“And you, a mere street rat.”

“...”

“Have you ever seen a dove and rat mate? Have you ever considered the idea?”

Again Daiki replied with silence.

“You have not. And rightfully so. It is unnatural, not meant to be, against the very laws of nature itself. And just like that, Taiga and you are not meant to be. That too strides against the laws of this world. An _abomination._ You are not the same _kind._ No, not the same _species._ Despite that you have tainted Taiga’s white feathers with your filth and beastly ways...thus I cannot let you go unpunished. Surely you understand.”

“He doesn’t love you.”

Seijuuro tensed. His eyes widened with anger and without thinking twice he delivered a heavy strike to Daiki’s gut with one of his closed fists. Daiki groaned and slumped forward in pain, struggling to breathe. Then as if nothing had happened Seijuuro straightened and adjusted his necktie to its original proper state, expression blank.

Kagetora had been on the verge of interfering but stopped himself before he could move. He looked at the young boy with worry but couldn’t do anything. If he went against the master, it wasn’t just his job that would be lost. His actions would affect Riko, his precious daughter’s, career as well. Seijuuro could easily write a bad reference for her if she was fired and went to search for a new job. No one would hire her with an Akashi noble’s disapproval. It was a hard world they lived in. She had worked hard for her position and was paid well. Kagetora couldn’t risk it.

“Take him away,” Seijuuro ordered, "he will spend the night chained in the cellar.”

And without another word he turned and left. Finally he could get some sleep after this disastrous day.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, they were caught. I know some of you might be disappointed BUT! This is an Aokaga fic so clearly Seijuuro won't win. 
> 
> *Running through bushes - I actually looked this up and it's apparently a trick one can use to buy time when running from tracking dogs xD


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally done. This chapter was a nightmare to write. But next chapter will be fun; it will be about Seijuuro's childhood and how he turned into a crazy asshole. 
> 
> As always, thank you all readers for your support!

 

For quite some time now, Mayuzumi had been plagued by guilt. Day in and day out he’d struggled, trying so hard to repress it and pretend that what he’d done never happened. But unfortunately -or perhaps fortunately- he had not quite been successful in that. While he could forget about it during daytime as his job kept him rather busy, it would come back to him in the evenings and as a result he often found himself unable to sleep at night.

At first he had been very reluctant to assist Seijuuro in his plan to kill the previous Akashi head but gave way when his master none too kindly reminded him of his position as well as his obligations. It was either obeying or losing his job with no hope to find a new one.

He had regretted his decision for a while now, but at the same time it had been a matter of survival. For a servant such as himself, an orphan on top of that with no family to turn to, it was near impossible to get a job as good and well-paying as his current one. The Akashi family was one of the richest in the whole country, after all and to be fired by them due to insolence would stain Mayuzumi’s reputation as a servant forever. It was a harsh world to live in for the poor and less fortunate. 

And once the deed had been done, he was an accomplice in murder and would be put in prison should he choose to confess. By then it was too late to turn back.

He’d told himself that he had only done what was expected of him as a servant. He had obeyed and been loyal to the person he served. Seijuuro was superior to him and as his personal servant he had to support him and his decisions. And this excuse helped him to cope for a time and the guilt was dulled even more when he received praise from his master for a job well done. Seijuuro had used manipulative words on him, telling him that he was the only servant he could truly count on and how he appreciated his loyalty...and how much faith he had in him. As Mayuzumi had never received much praise or any form of appreciation in his whole life, he could not help but to feel flattered. And in some way that made him want to please him even more.

But it could not erase the guilt completely. At first it was only linked to the murder he had assisted in, but now it was doubled after the whole affair about Taiga and Daiki.

Mayuzumi had seen the way his master had changed, had been by his side during the whole process, and it scared him. He knew now that there was nothing Seijuuro wouldn’t do to get his way and had to ask himself how much more of it he would be able to take.

Could he really work for such a person? Could he keep taking orders from someone who asked him to kill a family member for such a ridiculous reason as lust? Seijuuro desired Taiga but their father had not accepted it; truly Seijuuro acted like a spoiled, selfish child. 

Mayuzumi had always thought so highly of his master and resented those who would go against him, but he could no longer bring himself to harbor any respect for his character. The only way Seijuuro was superior to him now was his status as a noble.

The guilt. The pity he felt for Taiga and, surprisingly Daiki, was beginning to take its toll on him. He’d never liked the kennel boy and what he had done was unacceptable, but no one deserved the kind of horror that awaited him.

And all of this that he felt was brought to light even further the next morning when Mayuzumi brought Seijuuro his ten o’clock tea.

The Akashi noble had taken the morning off and was currently in the library. In one of the armchairs he sat silent, staring ahead as if lost in thought and almost mechanically petted Kuro who sat on the floor next to him. The dog relished in the attention and had its tongue lolling out of its maw while the tail whipped lazily.

Upon hearing the door open, Seijuuro was pulled out of whatever thoughts he was having and straightened in his seat. He did not bother to look at the servant, however, and waited for his tea to be handed to him.

Mayuzumi set the tray down on the little table next to the armchair and poured the hot drink into an expensive porcelain cup.

“I shall take Taiga tonight,” Seijuuro said as he took the cup offered to him and Mayuzumi tensed, "He is to be cleaned and brought to my room before I finish work. I do not want any disturbances whatsoever and expect everyone to be either in bed or in the kitchen by eight o’clock. _No one_ is allowed upstairs by that time, not even Harasawa.”

Taiga’s sweet sounds of love-making were only meant for him to hear.

When Mayuzumi did not answer him directly, taken aback by the sudden announcement, Seijuuro glanced at him expectantly. The grey haired servant quickly collected himself and bowed while trying to mask his discomfort.

“I understand...but are you not saving that for your wedding night?”

He did not ask out of curiosity -he’d rather not ask such a thing to begin with- but more because he was worried about Taiga. It had become apparent to him now that he and Daiki truly did love each other and while it was inappropriate due to the difference in their social standing, Mayuzumi now felt a bit ashamed of himself. He’d been too harsh on the kennel boy and said some things he shouldn’t have.

And the reply he was given only further increased his worry.

“There is no reason to wait now when Taiga has lost his innocence. I was planning on having father Kiyoshi at the Rakuzan State Church cleanse him but...I figured it is better if I do it myself.”

Yes. He would cleanse Taiga in every way.

“But so soon? Forgive me for saying this, my lord, but he seems to be in a rather fragile state at the moment. Perhaps give him some time to-”

“Do not presume to give _me_ advice about my own fiance,” Seijuuro hissed with his eyes narrowing, “I have every right to do with him as I see fit. He will come to see the fault of his ways soon enough. After all, I am the one he truly loves.”

Mayuzumi said no more as to not anger the other, but he did not like it. The love Seijuuro was speaking of was most likely not mutual. He suspected that the master was confusing the brotherly love that Taiga held for him with the romantic kind.  

But surely Seijuuro would not _force_ _himself_ on Taiga?

The thought caused a sickening sensation in Mayuzumi’s gut.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and felt another wave of remorse; there were a little less than two hours before Hanamiya arrived with the carriage that would take Daiki away from the manor for good.

 

* * *

 

It was dark, cold, damp and deathly silent. Since the old cellar beneath the servants’ quarters was no longer in use, and had not been so for three whole years, it was completely empty and unkempt. Spider webs and dust layered the floor and could also be found in every corner of the low ceiling. 

Daiki had heard the padding sound of rats running around as well. 

He was kneeling on the hard stone floor, head bowed and wrists chained to the wall. The cold iron confines were thick and had been pulled tight above his head to give him as little freedom to move as possible.

He’d been in that very same uncomfortable position, barely able to move, ever since last night. He hadn’t slept at all and his whole body was sore. His sprained ankle still hurt as well and was now a bit swollen. It had not received any medical attention whatsoever. His mouth was dry, his empty stomach ached, his neck  strained and his head hurt. All at the same time.

He still did not know what awaited him. No one had told him anything and during the night of his imprisonment, various ideas had crossed his mind. At one point he had panicked when he considered the possibility of being locked up in there for the rest of his life. He was no one important; the only people who would miss him were his parents, Taiga and perhaps Satsuki and Wakamatsu. What if he was to stay down there until he was nothing more than a rotting corpse?

Daiki might be used to hardships and discomfort, but this was nothing short of hellish. Both in a physical and psychological sense.

In his current location he had no means to tell what time it was so he had no idea how long he’d been in there.

But he found that out soon enough. Eventually the heavy door to the cellar opened and Nebuya along with Harasawa stepped inside. The sudden light from outside nearly blinded him for a moment and once his eyes had adjusted to it, he could make out the troubled expression on Harasawa’s face. He was clearly not liking the situation and purposely avoided the youngster’s eyes.

Nebuya said nothing and his face showed nothing as well. He simply unclasped the chains from the wall, the other end still connected to the cuffs around Daiki’s wrists.

“Come on,” he said and gave the chains a yank.

Harasawa did not appreciate that.

“Do not be so harsh with him. He is injured."

Nebuya scoffed but thankfully obliged and waited patiently for Harasawa to help Daiki onto his feet. Since he could not stand by himself, the butler supported him as they walked, leaving the dark space.

“What’s going to happen to me?” Daiki asked, his voice raspy and mouth dry. There were many thoughts currently on his mind that scared him, but the one that inflicted the most pain and fright was the fact that he would probably never see Taiga or his parents again.

“I honestly do not know. Seijuuro-sama simply informed us to bring you to the front entrance. What I _do_ know that he has no intention of letting you stay, though that is quite obvious at this point. I suspect you will be sent to prison.”

Daiki did not know whether the thought of going to prison was better or worse than death. If that was indeed what Seijuuro had planned, then he would undoubtedly be locked in for life. And Taiga would not be permitted to visit him.

What would his parents say?

They had no chance against a member of the Akashi family. Even if they managed to get enough money to hire a lawyer, it was a hopeless case. There was no way for Daiki to get out. But if he indeed went to prison, then at least his parents would be able to come see him.

The weather outside matched Daiki’s mood. The sky was hidden behind thick, grey clouds as far as the eye could see. It was also rather cold and chilly autumn winds swept over the grounds. All that was missing was rain.

When the three servants rounded one of the corners of the mansion and reached the front yard, there were two carriages waiting. One was of normal design and looked like any other carriage, but the second one was different. It was, simply put, a big metal box on wheels along with a driver seat in the front. At the backside of the structure was a small window barred with thick iron and inside, connected to the floor, was a big metal ring meant to hold chains.

By the carriages stood three men, one of which was Hanamiya. As usual he sported that sly grin and dressed in the same suit as last night. Upon seeing him, Daiki instantly felt sick.

The other two men were nothing special. One of them was tall, lanky and had eyes like those of a dead fish. The other was a bit older and all of his dark hair was slicked back. Both of them looked rather bored and eager to leave.

While Daiki had no idea who they were or where they might be from, it was clear that they were not related to the police.

And Harasawa noticed this as well.

“What is all this, Seijuuro-sama?” He asked once close enough and once again glanced at Hanamiya with suspicion. 

Slowly the nobleman lifted his eyes to look at him and then with an indifferent shrug replied, “his punishment.”

Hanamiya introduced himself with a short bow and once his profession was known, along with Daiki’s destination, the butler could not help but protest.

Kirisaki Daiichi Asylum? Daiki might have acted recklessly and done something that was considered taboo by the upper Teikou society, but he was definitely not a _lunatic._

“Seijuuro-sama, you cannot be serious!”

“Quite serious, indeed,” the nobleman replied simply and the annoyance he began to feel at his servant’s raised voice showed on his face.

“But Daiki has no reason whatsoever to go to such a place! He is not-”

“Not insane? I disagree. Who in their right mind would ever consider to steal from me? Not to mention think it possible to have something so superior and out of reach as Taiga? This is what you call delusion.”

Harasawa could not believe what he was hearing. He had heard stories about asylums and how patients in them were treated. Some were better than others, of course, but he knew for sure that it was worse than prison on many levels regardless. And Hanamiya certainly did not look like a kind or sympathetic man.

Daiki was equally shocked. There were many things that he’d considered but to be sent off to a _madhouse_ was not one of them. That option had never crossed his mind. For a moment he forgot how to breathe as he fell deeper and deeper into despair.

Harasawa had let him go in order to approach Seijuuro whom he was currently trying to persuade.

The butler spoke in a hushed voice so that no one other than the master could hear.

“Please I beg you to reconsider. The boy is young and impulsive…and so is Taiga-sama. Things like these are not uncommon among youngsters and in Daiki’s case it is a matter of recklessness and infatuation. His emotions led him to this, not _insanity._ Please-”

“One more word and you shall join him,” Seijuuro cut him off with a tone of finality and bored his eyes into his warningly. It was not an idle threat.

Swallowing hard in his throat Harasawa remained silent and bowed his head in defeat. He would not be able to save Daiki no matter what he did or said; the master was determined to stand by his decision.

Seijuuro then approached the prisoner who was now held by Hanamiya’s workers. They each held one of Daiki’s chained arms and stood in positions that would allow them to quickly pull him back should he become violent. When Seijuuro came to a halt in front of him, one of the men took hold of his hair and forced his head down.

For a moment Seijuuro only stared down at him; his expression was an odd mix of disgust and satisfaction, the two emotions he currently felt.

“Is there anything you would like to say before you go? Even at this point I shall accept an apology.”

As a response Daiki spat at the ground right in front of Seijuuro’s boots. A “tch” slipped past his clenched teeth as he was disappointed that he’d missed his target.

Eyes narrowing at the disrespectful gesture Seijuuro delivered a backhanded blow to Daiki's cheek. The boy groaned at the painful hit and felt the taste of blood in his mouth. His cheek now sported an ugly wound created by the gems of Seijuuro’s engagement ring. Of course, the nobleman had purposely used that hand expecting such a result.

He lifted his hand to inspect his ring and nodded when he did not detect any damage. Though he would have it polished later.

He decided then that he had wasted enough time with the insolent rat. Clearing his throat he straightened and glanced down at the frowning Daiki with a small smile of feigned politeness.

“Well, as enjoyable as this is, I have work that requires my attention and thus I must take my leave.”

Then as an afterthought he leaned closer to the servant so that no one else could hear and with his smirk widening added in a low, taunting voice, “and tonight I shall make my beautiful dove _sing_.”

Eyes snapping wide open with anger, Daiki leaped forward but the noble distanced himself in time to avoid any damage. Though with his hands shackled behind his back, there wasn’t much pain Daiki could inflict on him to begin with.

The reaction was precisely what Seijuuro had hoped for.

Without taking his eyes of the struggling servant, he spoke up.

“Hanamiya, as you can see he is rather aggressive and violent. I advise you to keep him restrained at all times. Even in his cell. And perhaps have him wear a muzzle as well.”

The asylum director nodded.

“That can be arranged.”

Then came the order to take Daiki away. Unsurprisingly the youngster resisted; it was not easy with his hands tied behind his back, but he tried to put up as much of a fight as he possibly could. He bucked, kicked, screamed, bit and dug his feet into the ground in a refusal to walk, thus the asylum workers had to drag him towards the awaiting vehicle. 

In the end Nebuya had to help them. Together they forced Daiki into the metal cart and attached the other ends of his chains to the ring in the floor and made sure to keep them short to minimize all movement. They also put fetters around his ankles. A pained grunt left Daiki when the cold metal hugged his swollen sprain tightly.

The door was then slammed shut and locked. The key twisted and clicked inside the heavy padlock with a sound of finality, making it clear that there was now no ways of escape for the new patient.  

“All set,” one of the men said, a bit out of breath and went to stand by his superior. Hanamiya nodded and with one of his typical smirks bowed to his client. 

“It was a pleasure doing business with you, Seijuuro-sama. I shall do my best to give the patient the help and treatment that he needs.”

Seijuuro impatiently waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

“Yes, yes, now take him away. I have a busy schedule to attend.”

“Of course.”

The carriages began to take off and during the whole time, Mayuzumi had watched with eyes that strongly hinted his guilt and grief. Never in his life had he felt so disgusted with himself.

 _‘This isn’t right,’_ he thought to himself and grit his teeth while keeping his face hidden behind his grey bangs. A moment later Harasawa appeared next to him and suggested that they go inside; it was nearly lunchtime, after all.

He nodded and followed behind the butler without a word.

When they came into the kitchen everyone stared. There was a heavy atmosphere in the room and not one happy face to be seen.

All servants knew of Daiki’s fate by now; last night after he and Taiga had been discovered and came back to the mansion, the commotion had woken up Wakamatsu and a few others. Since there was no point it hiding it at that point, Kagetora had explained the situation as well as made sure to remind them of the consequences should they decide to interfere. And later when Harasawa came back after locking Taiga up in his room again, he had confirmed it. He’d told them everything he knew.

“Is he gone?” Wakamatsu asked lowly, eyes narrowed and glistening with hints of tears.

Not sure if his voice would hold Harasawa answered with a nod.

Satsuki, upon seeing Mayuzumi, felt a strong wave of disgust and anger. With brisk steps she ran up to him and slapped him across the face. He did not respond even as his head snapped to the side. The chambermaid har tears streaming down her face as she glared at him.

“This is all _your_ fault! Have you _no_ shame in you? You are the servant closest to Seijuuro-sama yet you did nothing to stop him!”

The others also looked at him with contempt, silently agreeing with her. All but Harasawa who stepped in to defend him.

“Calm yourself. Mayuzumi is not the only one at fault; he simply did what he thought was right, which in this case was being loyal to the person he serves. Surely all of you can relate.”

“Sure,” Wakamatsu began, “I can understand that. But even loyalty has a limit. This is a question of _morals_. We all know Aomine isn’t insane. Stupid, yes, but not a lunatic.”

Part of his anger was directed at himself. He’d known about the attraction between Daiki and Taiga from the first day the two of them met. He had warned Daiki and when his friend stubbornly insisted on ignoring him he gave up. If he’d continued to keep an eye on him and been just as stubborn to keep him away from Taiga then perhaps he could have prevented it.

“I did not know that Seijuuro-sama would go to such extreme measures…” Mayuzumi said and everyone were surprised at the honesty evident in his voice as well as his expression. He looked just like them and because they had never seen him like that they could not help but feel sorry for him.

“Where is Taiga? Is he not having lunch?” Kouki suddenly asked and cared not that he hadn’t used the proper honorific.

Harasawa cleared his throat and exhaled a long breath before speaking up. 

“Confined in his room. I do not think he will come out at all today.”

“Indeed he will not…” Mayuzumi said. His hands balled into fists as he thought of what the master planned to do with Taiga later. Speaking of which, he had been ordered to inform the servants.

“Seijuuro-sama has ordered that all of us shall be here in the kitchen or in bed by eight o’clock tonight. No one is to be upstairs or they shall receive punishment tomorrow.”

When Ryou announced that the food was done and plated it up for everyone, no one was in a hurry to eat.

 

* * *

 

All night and nearly the whole next day had Taiga been chained to his bed. When morning came about he did not get any breakfast since Seijuuro had ordered it so. It was part of his punishment but Taiga did not care as he had no appetite anyway. In fact, there wasn’t much he could be bothered to care about at that point.

All he could think about was Daiki and that he would never be able to see him again.

The whole day he’d cried, watched the clock tick and attempted to get free from his confines so he could find and save his love. He knew now when Daiki would be taken away; his brother had so _kindly_ told him.

So when the clock struck twelve, signaling the arrival of noon, and Taiga still had not succeeded to break his chains he knew there was no hope left. At that very moment, Daiki was about to disappear from his life forever.

He was not given anything to eat for lunch either. However, Mayuzumi did bring him water in the later afternoon and after drinking some of it he was told to take a bath. The grey haired servant undid the chains from the bed- but they stayed around Taiga’s wrists at the other end- and led him to the bathroom.

Once inside he was given some privacy; the bath had already been prepared and he was given half an hour to clean up. Taiga did not like it because he knew that the instructions from Mayuzumi were purely Seijuuro’s words from the start. He wanted to ignore the command-for that was exactly what it was- and just stay in there for thirty minutes without bathing, but at the same time he felt uncomfortably dirty. The run through the forest last night had made him sweaty and there were traces of dirt on his body as well as in his hair. So reluctantly he took a quick bath.

Some clothes had been prepared for him, laying by the sink, and when Taiga picked them up to get dressed he found that it was only a pair of black underwear and one of his white nightshirts. Nothing else.

Frustrated he put them on and since there was a chain hanging from each wrist it took a bit longer than usual. Then once done he knocked on the locked door to let Mayuzumi know he was ready to be let out.

To his surprise Harasawa was there too and he looked very uncomfortable. In fact, so did Mayuzumi. Both of them avoided eye contact with him and there was something almost secretive about them, as if they knew something he didn’t and wanted to avoid telling him at all costs.

“What is this about? Why are you here, Harasawa?” He asked and felt his frown deepen when the butler still didn’t look at him. But he answered nonetheless.

He was to be moved to Seijuuro’s room and stay there for the rest of the day. Taiga understood immediately the purpose behind the arrangement and his predictable reaction to it was the reason of Harasawa’s presence. Seijuuro had known that his fiance would struggle so in order to move him he’d ordered the butler to assist Mayuzumi.

It had taken them almost fifteen minutes to get Taiga from his room to Seijuuro’s; despite being in chains the young Akashi had put up a decent fight. But in the end it wasn’t enough and his gut twisted uncomfortably when he was secured to his brother’s big bed.

It was a sinister-looking thing in his opinion; four tall, sturdy bed posts made of dark wood that was carved into spirals and lion heads with their jaws open, a headboard padded with wine-red satin and the thin crimson silk sheets were a strong contrast to the three black pillows at the top. Each bedpost held one metal ring meant to hold any kinds of bondage.  

He was left to lie there alone for hours and when the clock struck eight in the evening, Seijuuro came in. Without paying Taiga any mind he began to relieve himself of some of his clothes. He shrugged out of his wine-red frock coat, undid his tie and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. He stopped in front of a mirror and ran a hand through his hair and then looked at his fiance through the glass before turning around with a smirk.

Slowly he approached the bed and once he was given the full view of Taiga chained to his bed with so little clothes on he hummed approvingly.

“This is a very welcoming sight, I must say,” he said and for a short moment let his eyes take in the sight of his fiance's bare legs.

He didn’t bother to wait for a reply since he expected none and instead began to light the several candles that stood on the night tables on each side of the bed. Then he shut all curtains closed before taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

With a soft smile he reached out and stroke a hand through Taiga’s hair, but the action was not appreciated. With a frown on his face the younger shook his head to get away from the touch.

“Oh don’t be like that, my love. You know there is no point in struggling now. I always win in the end.” 

“You haven’t won yet. I will _struggle_ for as long as I can.”

Seijuuro hummed.

“I suppose these chains will not make you any more compliant,” he muttered thoughtfully, more to himself than Taiga, and let his fingers trail over the black iron links.

Taiga frowned and had no intention of holding back.

“Like hell they will!” He snapped, ignoring the look of disapproval his choice of words earned him from the other. Gritting his teeth he turned his head to the side, refusing to look at Seijuuro and while restrained tried to distance himself from him. But the impossible became even more so when his brother straddled him and placed his hands on either side of his head, caging him.

“I thought so. That will not discourage me, however, as I am determined to have you tonight, my darling,” he said lovingly and took hold of Taiga’s chin, forcing him to turn back so their eyes could meet. The more he looked at the younger, the more his eagerness grew. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to tear the few garments Taiga was wearing from his body and devour him fully in every way. His eyes became hooded and lazily trailed down Taiga's form. He licked his lips as he zoned in on the two nipples visible through the thin, white night shirt.

“ _Very_ determined,” he breathed out and shivered with excitement as he felt himself harden in his pants.

But he forced himself to hold back. It was their first time together and thus he wanted to take his time, to enjoy himself to the fullest. And his love for Taiga and the strong desire to be loved by him in return made him want his lovely fiance to enjoy himself as well. He would make sure of it. Once Taiga experienced first hand the pleasure Seijuuro could give him, Daiki would be gone from his mind as if he'd never existed in the first place. 

With their faces close he leaned in for a kiss. When their lips met his eyes fell closed in bliss and he hummed at the spark of pleasure he felt. Taiga did not respond, however, and for a while only lay still with his frown still on his face. But when he felt the now familiar feeling of the other’s tongue prying at his lips he bit down on it. This earned him a pained hiss from the other who instantly retreated.

There was a brief expression of shock on Seijuuro’s face while he processed what had just transpired. He could feel a faint taste of blood in his mouth.

He looked angry, Taiga noted and expected to be struck but to his surprise no blow was delivered to him. Instead Seijuuro distanced himself a bit and looked at him thoughtfully.

“So you truly insist on fighting me?”

“Yes. I will _never_ give in willingly!”

Seijuuro sighed but said nothing. Instead he reached for something standing on top of the nightstand. It was a glass bottle containing some clear liquid, and a white handkerchief. The sight of it inflicted a sense of fear in the younger, or rather, fueled the fear he already felt.

“Then you leave me no choice.”

Still on top of him, Seijuuro poured some of the liquid on the piece of fabric, placed the bottle back on the table and then fully turned back to look at Taiga.

“Now be good for me,” he ordered and leaned down with the handkerchief. Taiga’s widened eyes never strayed from it. Closer and closer towards him it came and he felt an unfamiliar and strange smell from it. He turned his head away but it was immediately forced back and the cloth pressed against his nose and mouth. His eyes snapped shut at the displeasure of it and when he attempted to struggle, the chains binding his wrists rattled. He groaned in protest but it was ignored completely by the other who became more insistent.

“Mmph!”

“Shhh...you will only make it worse for yourself.”

He inhaled as he was forced to breathe and his nose was flooded with the stale, alcoholic-like smell. There was also something else in it that he could not identify. Something spicy and foreign. It was so strong that he became dizzy at once, his head spinning, and soon the effects were beginning to take effect as he gradually became still.

He felt hot, the burning sensation becoming stronger by the second and bit by bit spread through his entire body.

When Seijuuro touched him he flinched but his body would not move away; it was numb, heavy and trembling. And so very sensitive; his nerves seemingly on fire. His breathing had also changed, now coming out in short pants and his cheeks were flushed.

“Much better,” Seijuuro purred and stroke Taiga’s cheek with a finger.

“W-what did you...give me?”

“Do not worry, it is not harmful. It will only make you a little more obedient.”

Slowly he began to unbutton Taiga’s white shirt and once done pushed the fabric aside so that he could see all of that beautiful, muscled chest.

Then out of his pocket he took out the garter that he’d kept to himself and also the ruby choker he’d found in the satchel. He observed the two objects fondly for a short moment before he reached down to Taiga’s neck and put the choker on him. Then he lifted one of Taiga’s legs and slowly pushed the garter up until it hugged the bare thigh snugly. He caressed the soft skin there which ignited an unwanted spark of pleasure in his fiance who let out a startled gasp.

Since when was he so sensitive? Was it the result of that liquid?

Taiga weakly tugged at the chains but his arms felt so heavy that they fell back to the mattress, landing on either side of his head.

Seijuuro chuckled at the useless attempt. 

His beloved truly was a beautiful dove. A helpless, caged bird.

“Oh do not worry, my love. You will get used to the chains eventually. Or rather, you _must_ get used to them as you will be wearing them quite often. This is how I shall make love to you, Taiga. This is your role in our relationship.”

His role. Seijuuro's faithful, obedient husband who's sole duty was to please him in every way he could.

“Please don’t do this,” he begged desperately but his plea went ignored.

“I shall take my time with you tonight, Taiga. I will erase every trace of that rat from you, body and mind, and make you forget all about him,” Seijuuro spoke lovingly as his hands trailed up Taiga’s thighs. 

“I will show you what _true_ lovemaking is. And when I am done, I assure you that all you will be able to think about is me. I shall take _very_ good care of you, my darling.”

After tonight Taiga would be his in every way.

“N-no…” Taiga managed between his heavy breathing. He felt as if he was burning up and the touches against his thighs only further increased the heat.

“ _Yes_.”

Then to Taiga’s relief Seijuuro retreated his hands but it lasted only a moment.

“Ah, but first I believe I promised you some punishment.”

He took off his family crest ring from his thumb and held it over one of the candle flames until it grew hot. Then he returned his attention back to Taiga who upon seeing it felt his heart leap in his throat.

“Please don’t!”

Again Seijuuro did not listen. He bent down and without hesitating for even a second pressed the hot piece of metal against Taiga’s skin just below his left collarbone.

It was a burning, searing pain and no matter how much Taiga wanted to hold back his voice - not keen on giving his brother the satisfaction- it proved too much for him to bear and he let out a loud pained cry. The hot metal hissed against his skin as it was pressed harder and twisted a few times to make sure it would leave a mark.

“I take no pleasure in this, Taiga, but you need to be disciplined and reminded of who you belong to. If you misbehave you will be punished, simple as that. Consider it the first rule of our relationship.”

It seemed like an eternity but then finally Seijuuro removed the ring as it was starting to go cold. When he lifted it there was now a reddish mark sporting the Akashi family crest. A mark that would never fade and serve as a constant reminder of Seijuuro's ownership. 

But it was not over yet as Seijuuro had yet another way with which he wanted to mark his darling. He bent down and sank his teeth into the skin between Taiga’s neck and shoulder.

Hard.

The bite would have been painful on its own, but since Taiga’s body was now over-sensitive as a result of the inhaled drug, it was doubled.

“Ahh!” He cried out and threw his head back. The feeling of Seijuuro’s teeth against his skin was sickening, _repulsive._

A moment later Seijuuro pulled away. The sight of the red-purple bite mark against Taiga’s skin elicited a pleased purr from his lips. He kissed the mark before trailing his tongue over it with a long, slow lick.

Taiga shuddered.

He made another sound of protest and tried to move away again but his body wouldn’t obey him.

Seijuuro cared little for it as he at the moment was too focused on exploring the body he had wanted for so long. His eager hands were everywhere as he kissed his way down from Taiga’s neck to one of his nipples. When he reached one of the pink buds he took it into his mouth and sucked. The other he played with using his fingers and when he heard Taiga moan -although unwillingly- his lips smirked around the hot flesh and his tongue teased it further.

“Ahn! N-no...please don’t...S-sei!” Taiga panted desperately and felt himself harden in his underwear. He was disgusted with himself, ashamed of how his body was reacting.

Seijuuro’s eyes fell closed and he hummed, so pleased with his fiance’s body and reveling in the fact that he had complete ownership over it. He would enjoy himself to the fullest for as long as he could. Or for as long as he _wanted_. They had the entire night, after all, and he doubted that one round would be enough to sate his burning desire after getting a full taste of his beloved.

During the years he had gathered many fantasies about Taiga and could not wait to turn them into reality.

He released the nipple with a wet pop; it was now perked and glistened with his saliva. Teasingly he blew some air on it, causing Taiga to arch his back with another gasp. Licking his lips, Seijuuro then raised his eyes to look at Taiga’s reddened face and heaving chest.

“So beautiful,” he muttered lovingly and bent down to kiss those luscious lips again. He truly could not get enough of them. 

“Mmphh…” Taiga protested weakly into his mouth but otherwise lay still. He couldn’t move even if he wanted to. Tears had begun to fall from his eyes and he was trembling all over with fear.

The kiss was beginning to turn more aggressive. Seijuuro wouldn’t give him a chance to breathe as he eagerly moved his lips against his and forced his tongue to comply.

His pleading eyes then turned wide again when he felt his brother’s hand slowly creeping up his inner thigh, dangerously close to his crotch. It was coming closer and closer with no intention to stop. 

He broke the kiss with a startled gasp, ready to beg the other to stop once again.

“Please n-”

“Now sing for me, Taiga…”

Eyes snapping shut, Taiga braced himself for the other’s hand between his legs but it never came. Instead there was a gasp followed by a loud crash. A grunt left him when Seijuuro collapsed unconscious on top of him. He looked up and saw Mayuzumi standing by the edge of the bed, holding a broken ceramic pot.

“Are you alright, Taiga-sama?” He asked worriedly and let go of the pot. I clunked heavily as it hit the floor. Quickly he undid the chains and helped Taiga up into a sitting position. The young noble groaned as the sudden movement caused his head to spin.

“Mayuzumi?” He asked weakly, not believing that Seijuuro’ faithful dog had just saved him.

“Here, have some water. The drug will cease to have effect in about an hour.”

In his current state Taiga did not bother to distrust the man. He nodded weakly and let Mayuzumi assist him to drink the offered water. It felt nice and cool in his dry throat.

“W-why did you help me?”

Mayuzumi paused and averted his eyes from the young master. He thought once again about his wrongdoings and how much he regretted them. He could never expect Taiga to forgive him. His eyes fell shut as he prepared himself to confess.

“I felt it my duty to do so. I could not let him...do what he planned to do. It was the only right thing, especially after all the horrible things I have done. I am so sorry, Taiga-sama!”

And then the tears fell.

After all these months of constant guilt and secrecy, with no one to talk to but Seijuuro who was not exactly the best person for support or consolation. Several times had the Akashi head reminded -warned- him what would happen if he told anyone else.

Taiga, despite his condition, could not believe what he was seeing. Never in his life would he have thought he would be faced with the situation of _Mayuzumi_ crying and apologizing to him as if he actually meant it. He didn’t know how to handle it.

“W-What’s wrong? What are you talking about?”

Finally Mayuzumi dared to look him in the eyes. He was ready to confess and even if Taiga was not in the best condition at the moment, he had to do it now as he’d already called the police before saving him.

And so he explained everything about the death of Taiga’s father; what part he had played, Seijuuro’s reasons behind it and when it took place.

“I am sorry that you had to hear this from me. But I do not believe your brother had any intention of ever telling you. I assure you, when the police arrive I shall turn myself in as well.”

Taiga punched him. But under the influence of what he’d been given earlier it was sloppy and didn’t hurt as much as he’d hoped. The message was clear, however, and Mayuzumi did not blame him for it. In fact, he would gladly take a real hit that _did_ hurt.

“Did he force you to do it?”

“No… well, he did threaten to fire me but I could have refused. I was afraid to lose my job...I do not have anyone or a home to go to.” He trailed off and after some consideration shook his head.

“No I am making excuses. I was selfish and only thought of myself. There is no other reason.”

The more he explained, the more disgusted he was at himself.

“I have never liked you,” Taiga began, “It is strange since I usually get along quite well with most people, servants included, but for some reason I just couldn’t bring myself to like you. You were so loyal to Seijuuro that you even helped him kill my father… no wonder I never cared much for you. I guess it was a gut feeling.”

Mayuzumi said nothing. He was ashamed of himself for letting it get so out of hand. Taiga had every right to despise him. In fact, that made it easier.

Taiga had more to say as he was angry beyond belief but he still had no energy and barely any control of his body and fell back against the pillows. He was also still in shock. Mayuzumi helped him get into a clean pair of pants and called for Harasawa. It was then that Seijuuro began to stir. With a groan he blinked his eyes open and once his mind processed what had happened he quickly sat up and scanned the surroundings for Taiga.

His brother was not on the bed anymore. He stood at the end of it, supported by Mayuzumi and next to the two of them was Harasawa.

“What is the meaning of this!?” He roared and stood up, stumbling a bit as his head spun, “how _dare_ you strike me unconscious, you traitorous wretch! I shall have you imprisoned for this!”

Taiga’s eyes narrowed at him.

“He will go to prison, but for an entirely different reason. And so will you.”

Seijuuro came to an abrupt halt at the unexpected, harsh words.

“What?” He asked dumbly and it infuriated Taiga even further.

“You killed father! You convinced Mayuzumi to help you!”

Panic hit him for a brief second at the realization of his precious dove now knowing the truth. His eyes darted to the treacherous servant who had betrayed him, before he calmed down and scoffed.

“That is ridiculous. I believe the drug has made you-”

“Don’t lie!” Seijuuro flinched at the violent outburst. This was the first time he had seen his little brother so angry.

“I know you did it! Mayuzumi told me everything. How could you…” Taiga trailed off as sob escaped through his lips, his anger turning into tears of grief.

Seijuuro slumped his shoulders and looked down to hide his face. If the truth was out, then there was no point in hiding it.

“Yes I killed him," he muttered, "he got in my way. He _deserved_ it.”

_Mother said so, after all._

After he’d confessed it out loud he then went a little crazy. His eyes turned wide and his lips twitched into a big unhinged smile. With a few quick steps he closed the distance and took Taiga’s hands into his own.

“I did it for you, my love! So we could be together.”

He nuzzled the other’s hands affectionately with his cheek.

“Taiga my darling. My pretty, _pretty_ dove.”

“Don’t touch me!” Taiga snapped.

He flinched away from the touch and Harasawa placed himself between them as a barrier. The interference was not appreciated and a dark look settled on Seijuuro’s face.

“Move out of the way, Harasawa."

....

“Did you not hear me!?”

“I cannot allow you to be close to Taiga-sama after all this.”

“How dare y-”

Two policemen came into the room at that moment. They identified Seijuuro immediately and hurriedly took hold of him; one arm each.

“W-what is the meaning of this? Unhand me this instant!”

They said nothing nor complied with his demand.

“Do as I say! Get your  _filthy_ hands off me, you peasants!”

His eyes darted up to Taiga, whom Seijuuro now realized he would be taken away from. The distance between them grew by the second as he was dragged away and instantly his struggles intensified. He resembled a wild animal fighting its way out of a cage.

“Taiga!”

He managed to get one arm free and reached out towards his fiance. Nothing else mattered to him at that moment.

“My darling!”

The policemen grew impatient and once one of them had Seijuuro’s other arm secured again, they decided to handcuff his hands behind his back. Seijuuro cursed at them and began to kick about. His face then lit up with realization-although a false one- that his hysteric mind came up with.

“Oh I see…” he muttered lowly before he grit his teeth and broke out in anger once again, “you want him too! _All_ of you! You want to take him from me!”

“Hey, calm down now-”

“You can’t have him! He’s _mine!_ Tell them, mother!”

“...”

“See? She said he’s mine!”

They ignored him completely and carried him away. Down the stairs, through the grand hall and out the front exit where a cart waited. Mayuzumi, Harasawa and Taiga walked after them and watched as they struggled with getting the future prisoner into the back of the carriage.

Once it was closed and locked -although Seijuuro’s screams could still be heard- they turned to the three men.

“You are is brother, correct?” One of them asked.

Taiga nodded sadly.

“Yes.”

“I can see that you are in no position to come with us to the station but you will need to fill in some forms. Would you be able to come tomorrow instead?”

“Yes. If I may ask, what will happen to him exactly?”

After everything Seijuuro had done, he was still his brother so he could not help but feel a tinge of worry.

“We shall bring him to the station and keep him in our custody for the time being. Then tomorrow he will be interrogated along with the witness. If you come tomorrow we can discuss the details.”

“I understand…”

Mayuzumi stepped forward.

“I am the one who called and shall be the witness. However, I want you to treat me as a prisoner as I assisted Seijuuro in the murder of his father. I will not struggle but feel free to handcuff me.”

They looked at each other, unable to hide their surprise, but quickly recovered and gave him a nod.

“Very well.”

Harasawa was not aware of this and the confession had him shocked beyond belief.

“M-Mayuzumi, is this true!? It cannot be!”

The valet shook his head.

“It is true.”

They handcuffed him, but unlike Seijuuro he was allowed to sit in the front that was separated from the box-like structure in the back, due to his compliance.

Before he was brought into the carriage Taiga spoke up.

“Mayuzumi!”

The grey haired servant turned around to face him with a brow quirked in question.

“I have not forgiven you and don’t know if I ever will...but thank you. For saving me and for telling me the truth. ”

He had not expected forgiveness so that did not surprise him. What _did_ come as a surprise, however, was that Taiga actually thanked him. It was such a relief to hear because it proved that he’d done something right, that going against his master and telling the truth was indeed the right choice. Even if he would be going to prison, he’d be free from the tearing guilt and regret. He didn’t realize that he was crying until he felt tears run down his cheeks. He gave Taiga a thankful smile.

Then he was led into the carriage and after a goodbye from the police, they took off to Rakuzan. Seijuuro had not stopped screaming and during the whole time he had tried to get out by repeatedly throwing himself against the locked door in the back. Of course, it was futile and in the process he had nearly dislocated his shoulder.

To see him go was at that moment more relieving rather than unfortunate for Taiga. He was still in a bit of shock after Seijuuro’s attempt at forcing himself on him. After all, it was his own _brother;_ the person he had looked up to and loved so much during his whole life. Seijuuro had always been so kind and helping, so he could not believe that he had the ability to be so cruel.

But he shook his head and addressed the butler who supported him by his side.

“Harasawa, we must go to Kirisaki Daiichi and get Daiki out. Immediately.”

“Of course. But I do not think it is a place you should visit, Taiga-sama, and you must rest. So let me-”

Taiga shook his head stubbornly.

“No, I am going.”

There was no chance of him staying at home while his love suffered in that horrible place. He would be the one to get him out of there.

The carriage was readied with the help of Wakamatsu and Harasawa and not a moment was wasted before the two of them along with Taiga began to make their way to Kirisaki Daiichi.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Pressing hot ring against skin - I don't know if a candle is enough to heat a gold ring to such an extent that it will leave a mark. But meh who cares about such details, am i right? xD


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty some Seijuuro backstory/childhood. I know you guys wanna see Taiga and Daiki and you will in the next chapter! Much fluff in next chapter, I promise! <3 
> 
> Thank you all for the support and comments, kudos etc, you know the drill. It means a lot ^^

 

Seijuuro ceased to be considered a child quite early. At the tender age of six his father Masaomi decided that it was time for his education to begin. He hired several tutors to teach the arts required of a true Teikou aristocrat and would personally educate his son in the family business, along with Shirogane who served as a mentor during their Seirin visits.

It was a lot to take in but Seijuuro did as told and rarely complained because his father had explained to him the importance of his position. And Seijuuro wanted to make his father happy, to make him proud.

Reading, writing, mathematics, geography, history, literature, foreign languages, economy, leadership, piano, violin, dancing, nobility customs and etiquette, horse riding, shooting for hunting, fencing, biology and other types of sciences. He was to study and excel in all of them and he discovered early -the hard way- that failure was not an option.

While he worked hard, it was inevitable that he made mistakes at times. Especially in his younger years. This would earn him punishment of all forms; physical or non physical. Sometimes he was struck by a ruler or riding crop by his teachers and occasionally by Masaomi himself. Sometimes his father added extra lessons to make up for his mistakes and thus limiting his already scarce freedom. Or sometimes he was locked up in his room for hours without any means to get out by himself. Several times he was not allowed to have dinner, forced to go to bed with an aching stomach.

His mother Shiori didn’t like it but knew she had little to say about it. As the master of the household, her husband had the right to raise and discipline his children as he saw fit. It was inevitable if their son was to become what they wanted him to be. She had, however, managed to convince him to give Seijuuro some more free time when he began to show improvement in his studies. And she would always offer her son consolation and support in difficult times.

Seijuuro found that he preferred to spend most of his spare time with his mother and Taiga. He and his younger brother had developed a strong attachment to each other quite early.

The three of them would go for walks, picnics, swimming in their private owned lake, draw, play in the garden or go to Josei to buy sweets and the like. Sometimes Seijuuro would read to them -impressing his younger brother a great deal- and sometimes their mother would instead. Other times they did their homework together while Shiori wrote letters or played the piano. He enjoyed his time with them very much. Unlike the time spent with his father who rarely expressed affection to him. It seemed that the older he got, the less his father was willing to do that.

But it didn’t matter. He had his mother and Taiga for that.  

As long as he had them he would be happy.

 

* * *

 

“Daddy is so mean to Sei!” A six year old Taiga yelled angrily with a pout, his small arms tight around his older brother’s waist and eyes glaring at their father. Seijuuro smiled but it only lasted for a short moment; at the sound of Masaomi sighing his frown returned.

“Taiga, go and play outside. I must speak with your brother alone.”

Stubbornly the red-haired toddler shook his head and pressed closer to Seijuuro’s waist.

“No! Daddy will only shout at him again!”

Taiga was a very curious and easily distracted child. He loved his brother dearly, admired and looked up to him more than anyone else and thus wanted to be close to him as much as he could.

He would often eavesdrop on Seijuuro and their father’s conversations, standing quietly outside the office with one ear pressed against the door. Though many times he would not understand what they were talking about due to his limited vocabulary as a six-year-old. His brother and father tended to use many difficult words, after all. But lack of vocabulary didn’t prevent him from understanding when Masaomi was angry.

That morning when he ran around the hallways upstairs, hiding from his nanny, he’d heard shouting from the office. His father’s shouting. And naturally he had to know what it was about, only to find that Seijuuro was being scolded again.

“He must learn, Taiga. I will not accept any failures.”

“Sei is the best! He can do anything! Yesterday he read a really difficult book to me so stop being so mean!”

Their father’s patience was wearing thin. It wouldn’t take much longer before he snapped and when Seijuuro realized this he was quick to address his little brother. He knelt down in front of him and placed a gentle hand on his head.

“Taiga, it was my fault. Father has every right to be angry. I will talk to him and then we can play, alright? Wait for me in the garden.”

“But-”

Taiga closed his mouth when the other pulled him in for a hug.

“Please.”

_I don’t want him to shout at you too._

It would only result in Taiga crying and Seijuuro didn’t want that.

With a hesitant nod, the younger agreed and reluctantly left the room.

Their father leaned back in his chair with another sigh.

“I believe it is time to hire a tutor for him soon. He must be disciplined.”

Seijuuro’s eyes narrowed at him but he stayed quiet.

“Well then,” the older man said with his voice stern and expression to match, ”about this failure of yours. Since you do not seem to use your time efficiently enough, I will add another hour to your lessons. Tomorrow you shall not be done until four o’clock.”

“But me and Taiga are going swimming with mother then!”

He valued his free time with his mother and brother more than anything. It was the only comfort and joy he had during his busy, intense days of education. Eight hours a day, six days a week and only one hour of recess each day, lunch included.

It was exhausting. 

“Not anymore,” his father replied, “your education is your first priority. If you wish to have more free time then you better stop with these ridiculous mistakes.”

Gritting his teeth, eyes hidden behind his bangs as he once again lowered his head, the young Akashi replied.

“Yes, father.”

 

* * *

 

“Mommy, why is daddy so mean to Sei?” Taiga asked one evening when he shared his parent’s bed with his mother. With his brother and father away in Seirin for a week, he was allowed to sleep next to her. He looked at her expectantly with his big, innocent eyes and for a moment Shiori was at a loss. At that moment she was not sure how to go about the situation; Taiga was so young, how could she tell him in a way he would understand? Though the subject was not one she liked to discuss to begin with.

“Sweetie,” she began and took him into her arms, “you must understand that your father loves Seijuuro.”

“But...he almost never smiles at him anymore. He doesn’t hug him. A-and he shouts at him all the time. Daddy doesn’t shout at _me_ that often. Only sometimes. Last week he hugged me after I showed him a drawing.”

“You know that your brother will have a very important job when he grows up, don’t you?” She asked softly and Taiga nodded.

“Well, because of that Seijuuro has much that he must learn and be the best in it. When your father is angry at him, he is... _worried_ that he will not learn those things. Our family is important and we must look good to everyone else. Especially Masaomi and Seijuuro.”

“But Seijuuro _is_ the best! He can do so many difficult things. Why can’t daddy see that?”

“He does, sweetie, and is very proud of him. Sometimes he just doesn’t show it. You will understand when you are older.”

Taiga met her eyes for a moment and didn’t look fully convinced. He still did not quite understand, but would trust his mother’s words anyway. If she said that Masaomi loved Seijuuro, then that’s how it was.  

 

* * *

 

“Sei, I love you!” a seven year old Taiga exclaimed happily and threw himself into his brother’s arms. Seijuuro chuckled and with a smile stroke him through his dark red hair.

“I love you too, Taiga.”

Happy to have his feelings returned, the younger pressed his face into Seijuuro’s chest and nuzzled his shirt. He was very excited about the picnic they were about to have. His older brother had been very busy for the past week with tests and thus they hadn’t spent much time together. Taiga had snuck into his room a few times, however, and slept next to his brother on his bed during the night. 

Behind them their mother set down the picnic basket she was carrying and began to fold out the blanket they were to sit on. Once done she sat down and urged her children to do the same. Taiga insisted on sitting next to Seijuuro and stayed close to his side the whole time.

“Mommy,” he began as Shiori took out a few sandwiches, “Tatsuya told me that Atsushi’s grandparents are brother and sister.”

Handing them a plate each with said food, she replied with a smile.

“Yes, darling, they are.”

While Seijuuro began to eat, Taiga was pouting and showed an expression of confusion.

“But...you can’t marry your brother or sister.”

Being so young and also fresh to his education, Taiga had yet to learn all of Teikou’s customs and traditions. While he knew of some, the subject of marriage was still unfamiliar territory.

“In Teikou you can.”

The youngest Akashi took a bite of his lettuce and cheese sandwich and after chewing thoughtfully for a moment he looked up at his mother again with another question on his tongue.

“Then will I marry Sei when I grow up?”

Shiori shook her head.

“No, sweetie, you will not. When you are old enough you will find someone else to marry. Someone whom you will fall in love with.”

“Ehh? But I love Sei. Thiiis much!” To prove his point he spread his arms out as wide as he could before throwing them around his brother who chuckled at his words. Shiori too couldn’t help but to smile. She truly had been blessed with such wonderful children.

“I know you do. But that is a different kind of love. You will understand when you meet that person.”

Humming thoughtfully Taiga let go of Seijuuro and turned his full attention back to his food.

The subject was dropped and they began to talk about animals. Taiga had decided that he very much liked tigers after the trip he and his mother took to the Rakuzan zoo a few weeks back. Seijuuro and their father had at the time been in Seirin.

Seijuuro preferred dogs and Shiori found dolphins to be quite charming. Both her and Taiga had been given the chance to pet one at the zoo.

“Taiga, you have jam on your cheek,” Seijuuro told the younger while they ate some pastries and leaned in to wipe the red stain away with a tissue.

“S-sei...I can do it myself!” the younger protested weakly and blushed in embarrassment.Their father had told him that he was a big boy now, after all, and shouldn’t need help with such things. His eyes snapped shut for a second, a grunt of discomfort leaving his mouth, as the fabric was slightly rough against his skin.

“You _can’t,_ that’s why I’m doing it. Remember yesterday at dinner when you tried to wipe away the sauce? You only made it worse.”

Taiga pouted.

“Hmph. I was little back then.”

Seijuuro stilled and blinked a few times as he processed the words.

“You were little _yesterday_?” He asked amusedly and broke out in a fit of laughter when his brother nodded stubbornly.

“Yes, I’ve grown since then! Almost half a centimeter, nanny told me this morning! And don’t laugh!”

The laughing didn’t stop. Gritting his teeth, Taiga turned to Shiori.

“Mommy, tell him to stop!” he whined but his mother was equally amused as she chuckled behind her hand. 

“I’m sorry, darling. You’re just so adorable.”

With his brows furrowing Taiga looked down at the pastry in his hand and decided to ignore the traitors that laughed at him. He took an aggressive bite of the treat and when Seijuuro tried to apologize he didn’t answer.

“Taiga, don’t me mad. I said I’m sorry.”

Pouting, Taiga turned his back against his brother in rejection.

“...”

A sigh left Seijuuro’s lips but then an idea struck him and he smiled knowingly.

“I’ll read a bedtime story for you tonight. Whichever you want.”

Taiga stilled for a moment and considered the offer. If his brother was willing to read to him as compensation, then he’d take full advantage of it.

“Two stories,” he said in a clipped tone that clearly indicated that there was no room for compromise. His lips twitched in an excited smile when Seijuuro agreed.

“Fine. I’ll read two stories for you tonight.”

And so he was forgiven. The bright smile Seijuuro was given from the younger rubbed off on him and he returned it with equal force. Their mother was right; Taiga truly was adorable.  


* * *

 

“Well done, Seijuuro. That was absolutely wonderful!” Shiori said, amazed at her son’s talent, and applauded.

She was sitting in one of the armchairs in the library, listening to Seijuuro practicing his violin homework. He had learned quickly; now at the age of ten he was able to play the more complicated pieces with only a few occasional mistakes. A natural talent to that particular instrument, it seemed, as his piano skills were not quite as refined yet.

A big smile instantly found itself on the boy’s lips, along with a light blush coloring his cheeks. It wasn’t often he received such enthusiastic and sincere praise; only from his mother and Taiga. Sometimes his father would acknowledge his successes with short words of encouragement and a pat on the shoulder but it usually lacked warmth. To the Akashi senior it was only natural that his oldest son should be able to excel in everything he did and thus too much praise was unnecessary.

Putting his violin back in its case Seijuuro went up to his mother who stood up and pulled him in for a hug. She stroke his hair while telling him how proud she was of him and how much she liked to hear him play. It caused his smile to widen and he returned the embrace tightly with his arms.

Taiga wasn’t there that time. Now when the younger brother had teachers of his own to educate him, he too had less free time on his hands. Though still more than Seijuuro.

“Mother...is father proud of me too?” He suddenly asked with a tone of uncertainty and tightened his hold of his mother’s dress.

Upon hearing the question Shiori distanced herself the slightest bit to look at her son with an expression that hinted surprise.

“Of course he is, darling!” She assured him and caressed his cheek but Seijuuro still did not look fully convinced. With his brows creased together he directed his eyes to the floor as he spoke.

“But he never tells me that.”

Shiori sat down on her knees so that she was leveled with her son and gently took hold of his shoulders.

“Darling, your father loves you very much. He _is_ proud of you, I know that because he has told me so. He is just...well, sometimes he finds it difficult to express what he truly feels. Even to me.”

She chuckled and a fond smile curved her lips at a certain memory of her husband having such a difficult time to say ‘I love you’ on the day he proposed to her.

“And he only wants what is best for you.”

“Really?” Seijuuro asked, skeptical but hopeful, and raised his gaze to meet his mother’s warm eyes. He envied Taiga for having inherited so much of them.

“Yes, darling. I promise. We all love you very much.”

When Shiori later in the evening brought the subject up to her husband, he had told her that he was aware of his own attitude towards the boy and that it was necessary.

“He is my oldest son and is to become the next head of this family; as such he must learn that failure is not an option and that succeeding should come naturally to him. I cannot let him become spoiled and lazy, which may very well become the results of too much praise and affection. You and Taiga are enough as it is.”

“I understand that, love. But I think he needs to hear it from you every now and then at least. He is still a child, after all.”

Masaomi sighed.

“But not for long.”

 

* * *

 

Seijuuro, at the age of ten, had entered the phase where he didn’t want to admit to anyone when he was crying. He had stopped using the word ‘cry’ when talking about himself in such situations. He didn’t _cry_ , he was simply _upset._ That was all.

One day in the later afternoon, around three o’clock, he was sitting alone by the lake. On his face he wore a scowl and he had his arms around his knees that were pulled up to his chest. He wasn’t crying, really, the tears were prickling in the corners of his eyes but not yet falling. He was ten, after all, and not a weakling.

“Sei!” Seven year old Taiga exclaimed happily upon having finally found his brother. He had searched for him for quite some time. 

When he heard the merry, childish voice Seijuuro tensed and quickly wiped away the wetness in his eyes. He couldn’t let Taiga see it.

“Here you are!”

Taiga sat down next to him and breathed out a long breath, tired from running around the house and garden during his search. With a big smile he turned towards the other but it fell when he saw the sullen expression on his face. He crept closer and worriedly inquired about it.

“Sei? Are you sad?”

“No…”

“Yes you are.”

Seijuuro released a sigh.There was no point in denying it to Taiga, he figured. He’d already noticed and wouldn’t be satisfied until he received an answer, stubborn as he was.

“I am not sad, Taiga, only a bit upset. That’s all so don’t worry.”

Tilting his head in question the younger asked, “why?”

Slowly Seijuuro let go of his legs and held his hands out, showing the other his reddened palms and fingers. It elicited a gasp from Taiga who upon seeing them felt a pang of shock.

“W-what happened?”

Seijuuro lowered his head so that his eyes were hidden behind his long bangs.

“I made a mistake on my spelling test today. My teacher wasn’t happy about that.”

_Neither was father_

He was such a disgrace.

“Hmph. That old bat,” Taiga said with an angry pout and it was rather adorable, making Seijuuro smile the slightest bit. But then the younger’s expression softened and turned into one of worry.

“Does it still hurt?” he asked and carefully took his brother’s hands into his own for a closer inspection.

“A bit.”

They still throbbed. His teacher had hit him five times on each hand with the wooden ruler and quite hard. He hadn’t vocally expressed his pain, refusing to give her the satisfaction, but his face had shown it. Though he’d refused to cry. He didn’t do that anymore, after all.

“Then I’ll kiss it better! Like mommy always does!”

Seijuuro watched him with an amused quirk of his brow. When his palms were then being peppered with light kisses he couldn’t hold back a giggle.

“Taiga, it tickles,” he said through his chuckles and made a halfhearted attempt at pulling his hands away but his little brother didn’t let go. Taiga was happy that he was able to cheer the other up and the chuckles his attempt at comforting earned him served as motivation to continue. He wanted Seijuuro to be happy.

Afterwards they sat and watched the sunset together while holding hands. Seijuuro wasn’t upset anymore and now smiled as Taiga told him about his day.

“Sei, to me you will always the best! Even if you make mistakes.”

Seijuuro’s smile widened. He pulled his little brother in for a hug and rested his forehead against one of his small shoulders. He felt tears in his eyes again, but this time for another reason. A _better_ reason.

 

* * *

 

It was a stormy October night; heavy rain beating against the windows, howling wind and rumbling thunder. Eleven year old Seijuuro had trouble falling asleep. Not because he was scared, but because of all the noise. The thunder was close and so loud that he could feel the room vibrate. He released a sigh and turned to lie on his other side. Perhaps he should read something, he thought and sat up. He reached for the lamp on his bedside table and switched it on.

There was suddenly a knock on his door and before he could ask who it was the door creaked open and a troubled-looking Taiga peeked his head inside. His puffy eyes clearly indicated that he had been crying.

“S-Sei...can I sleep here with you? I-I’m scared.”

Right after he’d uttered the words the thunder cracked loudly, followed by a flash of lightning. With a loud squeak of fear the younger ran up to his brother’s bed and quickly hid underneath the blanket. Seijuuro held back a chuckle and smiled softly at the lump trembling under the covers. Slowly he lifted it so that Taiga’s face was visible. He looked like a frightened mouse, red eyes wide and body tense as it shook.

Taiga swallowed thickly in his throat before he spoke up.  
“Please let me stay here.”

“Of course you can stay. But why didn’t you go to mother and father?”

“I did, but daddy got angry at me and wouldn’t let me stay.”

_A man of the Akashi family is not afraid of a little thunder!_

_Do not shout at him, darling. He is only a child; let him stay with us this once._

_Nonsense. He must learn to be independent! Now go back to bed, Taiga!_

“You can always come to me when you’re scared,” Seijuuro assured him with a gentle smile. He lay back down and patted the spot next to him. Eyes brightening Taiga hurriedly crawled farther up to settle by his side. He curled himself into a ball and snuggled closer to his brother who had begun to run a hand through his hair. It was comforting and soon Taiga felt himself relax.

Seijuuro always made him feel safe.

A while later he fell asleep and Seijuuro smiled fondly at his peaceful face. He leaned down to bestow a soft kiss to the younger’s forehead.

“I love you, Taiga.”

 

* * *

 

At the age of thirteen, Seijuuro rarely cried. He still refused to call it that but even if he was _upset_ at times he would rarely shed tears. Slowly but surely his father’s indifference was starting to rub off on him and it showed. Even Taiga and Shiori had begun to notice. That’s not to say that Seijuuro was unkind by any means, but he had learned to control his emotions and knew that his role required him to act appropriately in front of people that were not part of the family. That included the servants as well. He often found himself scolding Taiga for playing with Kouki and Riko or sharing treats with them. 

However, when Shiori passed away he hadn’t been able to remain controlled. He had screamed, cried and broken things in front of everyone present. He hadn’t cared about that, too upset to even notice them. Not even his father had been able to stop him. And gods know the man had tried.

Seijuuro had been so insistent on staying by his mother’s side, even after she was declared dead by the doctor, that it had taken several servants to get him out of the room. He had kicked and cursed the whole time.

At the funeral he still cried despite his father’s constant orders to stop, and after everyone left he remained standing by the grave for hours, staring in dismay at her name carved into the gravestone.

“Mother…” His voice cracked as he spoke and the tears didn’t stop.

His mother was gone. His anchor. The one person he could always count on.

His light.

_Mother_

How was he supposed to cope without her? If she wasn’t there, then what did he have left to bring light to his life and support him? To lift the suffocating pressure and stress he so strongly felt every single day?

“I need you, mother. Why did you have to die?”

…

“WHY!?” he snapped angrily when he received no reply. Not that he should have expected one.

It wasn’t fair.

“Sei…”

He tensed at the sudden voice, having been so lost in his own moment that the sound of someone else speaking startled him. Not appreciating the interruption, he turned around with a snarl that vanished instantly when he saw who it was.

His eyes widened.

_Taiga._

The younger brother was also crying. His big, red eyes were filled with tears that streamed down his cheeks.

“Sei...please come home now,” he sobbed and tightened his hands around the hem of his own shirt. 

He still had Taiga. His lovely, adorable little brother whose eyes looked so much like their mother’s. Taiga who had always given him the same unconditional love and support as she had. 

How could he have forgotten that?

Seijuuro watched, although a bit lost in thought due his realization, as the other ran up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace.

_‘Sei, I love you!’_

_‘To me you will always be the best! Even when you make mistakes.’_

_‘Sei is the best brother in the world!’_

_‘But I love Sei. Thiiis much!’_

Yes, he still had Taiga.

Taiga was kind. Taiga needed him. Taiga loved him.

…Taiga looked like _mother_.

That was enough for him.

Slowly he lifted his arms that had been hanging limply at his sides and returned the embrace. Tightly he held Taiga closer and hid his tear-stained face against his shoulder.

“Taiga…” he managed through a sob, “will you love me even if I’m weak and cry? W-will you still think I’m the best?”

_‘Sei is so strong! He never cries!’_

Taiga nodded against his chest. He remembered those words that he’d said about a year ago and now felt himself regretting them. Seijuuro wouldn’t be weak if cried.

“Yes. S-sei will always be the best,” he replied.

Even if Taiga had eased the pain a little, it took time for Seijuuro to heal.

He had trouble sleeping the first couple of weeks. On the night of their mother’s funeral Taiga came into his room and they laid next to each other. But neither of them slept; instead they held and comforted each other.

Only two days after the funeral Masaomi was determined to have Seijuuro back to his studies. He was meant to continue on as before and now with Shiori dead as well as Taiga having his own education to attend, his father thought it was no longer necessary with extended free time. It was difficult for Seijuuro to cope; he had yet to recover from his loss and even if Taiga was there, he still hurt. Had it not been for his younger brother he was sure that he would have broken down completely. 

The older he got the more was expected of him, after all, and thus his studies were raised to a higher difficulty.

One night when he was alone in his room he had his first hallucination. He was sitting in his bed, back against the headboard and knees pulled up to his chest. As he sat there and cried he thought himself hearing his mother’s voice. At first he ignored it, believing it to be his memory of her; he’d been desperate to remember her voice and thus kept reminding himself every day what it sounded like.

But then he’d actually _seen_ her.

“Mother?” He’d asked in astonishment and instantly crawled out of bed. She stood there smiling at him but didn’t move. With hurried steps he approached her, throwing himself in her arms.

“Mother!”

She stroke his hair in that gentle manner of hers, telling him how much she loved him, and he sighed happily.

This was all very strange, he then found himself thinking. She couldn’t be there; she was dead. It couldn’t be anything else than his imagination playing tricks on him. He hadn’t been given time to recover or fully accept her death, after all, so seeing her everywhere was the result.   

_‘You have to be strong, sweetie. Both for the sake of your future position but also for Taiga. No more crying, can you promise me that?’  
_

_‘I promise.’_

These illusions continued for a few years. At first it was every day but gradually it became less. But she would always appear when he experienced stress or situations that made him upset. When that happened, Shiori kept telling him to be strong for Taiga’s sake and that it was unfitting of someone like him to be weak. He always did as she told and when she disappeared, Seijuuro deeming himself not needing her anymore, he never cried again.  

That’s not to say he didn’t miss her, because he did and the loss had made him fragile. And the more he began to succeed in everything, rarely ever losing, he became violent and almost immature whenever he faced defeat. Of course, defeat eventually ceased to be a part of his life as he got older.

But there was another issue that wouldn’t go away. Namely his obsession with Taiga and keeping him close.

He was frightened.

Frightened that someone would come and take Taiga away from him. People or death alike. His mother was gone, his father he didn’t really care about, and Taiga was his new light. He couldn’t lose him too. If Taiga left him, he would be all alone, no one to care for him and no one to love him. Taiga was all he had left.

The fear became stronger the more he saw Taiga make new friends at social gatherings. Thankfully Masaomi had agreed to keep him home-schooled which decreased his social life somewhat.

That was why he refused to let boys -he’d discovered that his younger brother showed a stronger attraction to the male gender- get too close to him. Boys of the aristocracy who expressed interest in Taiga were bribed or threatened to stay away.

At one time there had been a boy who fell very much in love with Taiga and stubbornly refused to stand down. Seijuuro had then contacted Haizaki and asked to borrow some of his men for an intimidation mission.

And after being beaten to a bloody pulp in a dark alley one night, the boy never approached Taiga again.

And Seijuuro made sure things stayed that way. No love interest to whisk Taiga away and snatch him by the laws of marriage. No grand scale of friends to occupy - _steal_ \- his free time that could be spent with Seijuuro instead. Only people he trusted. Tatsuya, Atsushi, Alex and eventually Kazunari who became an acquaintance due to his engagement with Shintaro. They were enough.

At first it had only been for that reason; to keep Taiga with him. But the older the two of them got, Taiga became more popular and Seijuuro more possessive.

And jealous.

When Seijuuro at the age of 18 began to see his brother in a different light, perhaps in a way he _shouldn’t_ , another reason came to be. Taiga at 15 years old showed great promise of growing up to become an attractive man and Seijuuro found himself desiring him. He decided then that he would marry him in the future; that way Taiga was guaranteed to stay with him and his possessive nature relished in the idea. And as Taiga’s husband, he had full right to be intimate with him and share his bed. 

If he married Taiga no one else could have him. They would be together forever.

But then, to his surprise and absolute displeasure, his father refused to give him what he wanted.

 

* * *

 

“Father!” Taiga cried out desperately when he felt the older man’s hand turn limp in his own. He leaned over him and began to shake him.

“Please no!”

But Masaomi did not move. His eyes were life-less and he had ceased breathing.

“No... not you too,” he sobbed, tears forming in his eyes, and tightened his hold of his father’s hand.

Seijuuro stood behind him, eyes shadowed and a wide, cruel grin on his lips. But as soon as Taiga turned to face him it fell and he feigned a serious expression. He kneeled down so that he was leveled with his devastated brother.

“Sei...he’s gone. H-he’s…” Taiga couldn’t finish as another sob forced its way out. He clung to his brother’s shirt, tears staining the white material. When Seijuuro put his arms around him he pressed even closer. One of the other’s hands began to stroke through his hair.

“I hate to see you like this, Taiga. It truly pains my heart.”

“H-how can you be so calm? Father is-”

“Of course I am grieving. But father asked me not to cry when I spoke to him earlier, before you came in. The least I can do is respect his wishes. And besides, I do not wish to cry in front of you.”

Taiga merely nodded against his chest, thus missing the sly look on his brother’s face.

“Let it all out, Taiga. I shall stay here with you for as long as it takes. There is no need to hold back.”

 _'Mine at last._ **_Only_ ** _mine,’_ he thought wickedly to himself and buried his nose in Taiga’s hair. His eyes fell shut as he was met by the wondrous scent of those silky locks and quietly took a deep inhale of it through his nose. He nearly groaned out loud as he forced back a sudden shiver of arousal.   

Taiga was so warm. And the nicely developed body that he hadn’t seen naked in years was so close to him now. In his arms, willingly, seeking comfort. His hand that was caressing Taiga’s hair slowly lowered to play with the strands at his neck, and not in an innocent manner. However, the younger thought nothing of it as he, in his heartbroken state, thought that it was merely a way of comforting him. He was completely oblivious to his brother’s intentions and what was transpiring in his mind.

“It’s painful,” Taiga managed through his constant sobbing and placed a hand over his own heart. He distanced himself from Seijuuro’s chest to look at his brother and found comfort in the soft expression he was met with. He’d asked how the other could be so calm earlier, but now he realized that he actually preferred him that way. His brother was strong, after all, and he admired him for being able to mask his sorrow so well.

Seijuuro smiled and took Taiga’s face into his gentle hands, thumbs wiping away the tears that remained in the corners of those beautiful red eyes. He was hit by a strong desire to kiss him; the lips in front him were half parted and oh so inviting. He wanted to know what they felt and tasted like as he’d only ever kissed them in his dreams. But despite his eagerness to have them in that moment, he resisted the temptation and placed a kiss on Taiga’s cheek instead.

“Sei, first mother and now father. Please, you have to promise me that you won’t disappear as well. I can’t-”

“Shhh. Everything will be fine. I will take care of you, I promise,” he whispered into the other’s ear.

 

* * *

 

He’d really done it. He’d killed father...and it had felt good. So, so good. Now the old man couldn’t defy him anymore, couldn’t punish him, couldn’t deny him what he wanted. Taiga was his. Finally.

But…

He’d _killed_ him. And no matter how good it had felt in the spur of the moment, the thought frightened him now afterwards. He was frightened _because_ it had made him feel good.

It was well over midnight, many hours after their father’s death, and Seijuuro couldn’t sleep. He was seated in the armchair in front of the fireplace in his room. Dark circles sat under his eyes, his shirt unbuttoned, hair disheveled and expression blank as he stared into the flames.

In one of his hands, hanging limply over the armrest, he held a half-empty glass of fine whiskey. It was supposed to be a celebratory drink but he couldn’t bring himself to finish it; the ice cubes had melted long ago. He lazily swirled his wrist, causing the alcoholic liquid to slosh in its glassy confines, as he fell deeper in thought. His mind was so conflicted at that moment; guilt, regret, malice, shame... satisfaction and enjoyment. _Happiness._

But he was scared. 

Had he gone too far? Could his actions really be justified with the reasons he had? Maybe their father was right and it was indeed _Seijuuro_ who was in the wrong. Maybe he wasn’t meant to have Taiga, after all. Perhaps he couldn’t make him happy...didn’t deserve him. Was Taiga worth killing for?

_‘Taiga will never be yours.’_

_‘You are not capable of making him happy as a husband.’_

“Tch!”

Eyes widening with anger as his father’s words came back to haunt him, taunting him, he bolted up from his chair and threw the glass into the fireplace. It shattered and the fire sparked in protest, flames intensifying for a moment before lowering themselves back to their former state.

“You’re _wrong_ ! _I_ am the one who’s right, you hear me!?”

His breathing now came out in short, ragged puffs and his body trembled.

_‘I will not allow it.’_

“Quiet! I don’t need your _permission!_ Just stay _dead!_ ”

He launched himself forward towards the fireplace and in his need to take his frustration out on something swiped his arms across the mantelpiece, sending the various objects decorating it to the floor with a loud crash.

A loud, guttural growl escaped through his clenched teeth and his wild eyes glanced around the room for more things to victimize. With brisk steps he crossed the room until he reached a shelf next to his dresser. On top of it stood a porcelain vase and a lamp. He picked them up one at a time and tossed them across the room, watching as they smashed against the walls.

Then he looked up and was greeted by his own reflection in the big mirror hanging on the wall right in front of him. He didn’t like what he saw; a weak, pathetic being who couldn’t control his emotions. Someone who could not find resolve in something he’d righteously done. He picked up a small, decorative statue made of polished silver and threw it at the mirror. The glass shattered, cracks spreading out to form a spider-web formation and thus disfiguring his reflection. Some of the pieces fell to the floor. 

He began to pace the room back and forth.

“If only you hadn’t refused me! If only you’d let me have him! Then… then I wouldn’t have had to do this. Why can’t you see how much I love him!?”

He fell to his knees, arms tight around himself as he breathed heavily.

“It was for the best, wasn’t it?”

…

“Wasn’t it!?”

…

“Yes, that’s right. It was for the best. I am not wrong. Things will be better now without him. Only me and Taiga. Together. My sweet Taiga to love me forever.”

Why should he care in the first place? His father never gave a damn about him anyway, just seeing him as a tool to keep the family legacy. It was good that he was dead. 

_“Your father loves you, Seijuuro.”_

_“He is proud of you.”_

_“He only wants what is best for you.”_

Mother.

With a sharp intake of breath he turned his head around with eyes wider than before. She was standing there, beautiful like always, looking at him with those kind eyes and beautiful smile. She wore that white sundress with yellow silk ribbons he’d seen on her so many times during his childhood summers.  

“M-mother…”

He closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Ridiculous.”

His mother was dead; had been for many years. She couldn’t be there. He wasn’t a child anymore; he’d ridden himself of those illusions long ago. The last time he saw her like this he had just turned fourteen. 

And yet, he could see her clearly.

_“He always loved you.”_

Gritting his teeth his eyes snapped up back at her.

“He did not! He loved Taiga, not me. Not like you, mother.”

His kind, loving mother who always supported him. His mother who left him too soon.

She shook her head.

_“That is not true.”_

“It is! If he loved me then why did he not tell me!? Why did he not listen to me? Why did he not give me Taiga?”

She was suddenly in front of him, still wearing her soft smile, and bent down to run a gentle hand through his hair.

_“We have talked about this before, my sweet. Remember?”_

He remembered. They'd talked about marriage and its laws several times. Both his parents were against marrying within the family. 

“But...I want him. You always give me what I want so why not him? I promise to keep him safe!”

His mother had for a moment distracted him from the origin of his distress. But it suddenly came back to him. Instead of waiting for an answer he leaned into his mother’s touch as he mumbled with a trembling voice.

“Mother...I killed him. I killed father.”

_“I know.”_

“I wouldn’t have done it if he’d listened to me! I-I even asked nicely, I promise!”

His eyes widened further and filled with desperation as he looked up at her. He took hold of her white dress and clung to it.

“He deserved it, didn’t he? I am not wrong. I _can’t_ be wrong. Mistakes are unforgivable...I can’t make mistakes, so it was the right thing to do, was it not? I am always right! Aren’t I, Mother?”

_“Shhh. It is alright.”_

“Was I wrong?”

There was a moment of silence in the room after his question had been uttered. Her hand that had moved to caress his cheek stilled and her expression morphed into a serious one. Seijuuro looked her expectantly, desperate for the answer he wanted.

Her lips curved into a smile opposite to the one she’d worn earlier. A cruel, malicious one.

_“No.”_

His eyes brightened.

“Then I am right?”

_“Yes. You are right, my sweet. Your father was weak and foolish. He denied you what you wanted and had to be punished.”_

Finally she told him what he wanted to hear. The real Shiori would of course never say such things or suddenly change her opinion on incestuous relationship; it was Seijuuro's fragile, twisted mind that created her in such a way.

“Yes! Yes, I thought so! T-then...Taiga is mine? Rightfully?”

 _“Everything is yours if you wish it to be. You are_ **_absolute_ ** _.”_

Yes, he was absolute.

He nodded. The broken, uncertain expression on his face vanished as a sense of calm and relief flooded him. Mother had forgiven him. If she said he was right, then that’s how it was.

He released a deep sigh and stood up. Straightening himself, he ran a hand through his hair to tame the strands that had become unruly during his moment of hysteria.

His mother was no longer with him.

“How unsightly. To think I allowed myself to act in such a disgraceful manner,” he muttered as he let his eyes take in mess made by himself. A servant would take care of it in the morning. Glancing at the clock Seijuuro became aware of the late time. A sigh left him at the realization.

“I better get some rest.”

Tomorrow was a big day after all. The day when he officially took over as the new head of the Akashi family.

 


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took longer than I wanted and hoped to update. (Re-posting since the first time it didn't show that it was updated) First it was university keeping me busy and then this week I got sick and I'm still not quite well but I needed a distraction so I wrote. For those who want more Fluff, there will be more I promise. We have like 2 chaps left. Maybe 3
> 
> As always, a big thanks to you wonderful readers! <3

 

Even if Harasawa had warned him about what kind of place Kirisaki Daiichi was, and how asylums in general were rather unpleasant, Taiga had not been able to quench the surprise and discomfort he felt when he first laid eyes on the building. It truly looked like a dreadful, sad place where he wouldn’t wish upon anyone to be sent. It was where the unwanted were put; the dregs of society. At least he knew that much. And as awful as it was, a big portion of the patients were indeed too dangerous to be let out among people without any restrictions.

Upon seeing the young master’s reaction, Harasawa had once again assured him that he could stay in the carriage while he himself went to fetch Daiki. But of course Taiga declined the offer. He would be the one to get his love out of there. Besides, it probably wasn’t that simple. Taiga doubted that Harasawa could just go in and demand that Daiki was to be released. It would be an advantage to have a nobleman of the Akashi family to handle that business.

So despite his fear, he got out of the carriage the second it came to a halt. Up the stairs he ran and ignored the guards asking him about his visit. He simply demanded them to let him inside after tossing a few coins their way, which thankfully was enough.

Then with brisk steps he crossed the floor of the lobby with Harasawa in tow. Compared to the outside, it looked normal and rather neat. Black and white checkered marble floor and walls made up of dark wooden panels. A man was sitting at a desk up front and several nurses as well as maids ran around performing their daily tasks.

When Taiga revealed his name to the man, he had instantly contacted Hanamiya. The Akashi name was well known to most people who worked there by now. Especially the boss and his higher ranked employees.

It only took a few minutes before the sly man came down one of the staircases. As his eyes fell on the young noble he could see a certain resemblance to the older brother as far as appearance went. But his manner, posture and aura were completely different. He could tell that this Akashi was on the more mild side despite his bigger physique. Warmer than Seijuuro, kinder and much more naive. Adding that to his rather pleasant appearance, he resembled to Hanamiya a lamb.  

“This is an unexpected surprise. Though not unpleasant by any means. Welcome, Taiga-sama,” Hanamiya said in the same manner he had greeted the older Akashi brother the other day. Over-friendly and false.

This was the first time Taiga had ever seen the man and even though he did not know him at all, he knew instantly that he didn’t like him. Not the kind of person he liked to associate with at all.

When he didn’t answer, the man continued.

“And to what do I owe the pleasure?” He asked and bowed, smirk still in place. Due to Taiga’s social status, as well as being the younger brother of an important client, he didn’t mind too much that no prior appointment had been made. And the fact that the young man seemed to have let himself in without waiting for permission.

Taiga did not return the gesture. He was impatient and annoyed; he wanted to find Daiki so they could get out of there. He had no interest whatsoever to talk more than necessary with the other.

“I am here for Daiki Aomine. I want him released,” he demanded and bored his stern eyes into Hanamiya’s but they had nowhere near the same effect as Seijuuro’s glare.

“Oh indeed? Forgive me, but I have a contract with your brother about the patient, and thus I cannot just let him go. Being put in here means he is a danger to society, after all.”

Taiga scoffed.

“Drop the act. We all know Daiki is not insane. Seijuuro paid you to keep him here, no doubt, and I can do the same to get him out. I’m not leaving without him.”

Hanamiya opened his mouth to speak but before he could, Taiga decided to add another detail.

“Besides, the contract you made with him is no longer valid as Seijuuro has lost his position as head of the family. At the moment it has fallen onto me.”

This revelation stirred some interest in the asylum director.

“Oh? Please elaborate.”

Taiga told him about Seijuuro’s arrest and his crime, but chose to leave out several details as he did not think it to be any of Hanamiya’s business. And when he had finished, the man was more than willing to let Daiki out. In fact, he seemed to be in a hurry all of a sudden.

He led Taiga and Harasawa down one of the corridors. It was lined with barred cells, which the young Akashi found strange.

“Why do you have such cells for the patients? Are there no proper rooms?”

These cells were not much different from cages. And as he passed them, it became more apparent that many of the patients were not treated any better than wild animals. Taiga found himself shiver. He became more and more eager to get Daiki out of there.

“We do have rooms but all of them are full. These barred cells are cheaper and they allow us better surveillance of our patients.”

Taiga felt his frown deepen.

“Then perhaps you shouldn’t take in more patients if there is no room. Isn’t the whole point of your establishment to treat them? To make them _better_?”

“I assure you, Taiga-sama, we do our best. Many of these patients are let out several times for socializing and exercise.”

Even if that was true, Taiga doubted it was of any help. But he said nothing and kept quiet for the rest of the walk. His anxiety and admittedly fear grew the farther they walked. On the way several patients had attempted to communicate with him. There was one boy with short yellow hair and green eyes that had shouted the word “angel” at him. And another one had tried to grab him through the bars, stretching his scarred hand towards him but not quite reaching. 

Then finally, after a few more minutes that felt much too long...

“Daiki!” Taiga exclaimed with relief as he finally laid eyes on his love. The corridor had seemed almost endless and despite Hanamiya assuring him earlier that Daiki was indeed there, the young noble had feared that he wouldn’t find him. Or that Daiki would be hurt and broken beyond repair both in a physical and mental sense.

But there he was; sitting on the floor in a barred cell with his back against the wall and head buried in his shackled hands.

Upon hearing Taiga’s voice, however, his head instantly lifted and at first he could not believe it. He thought that it might be an illusion at first, but then he’d actually seen him. He stood up and made to run up to the bars but was forced to a halt by the chain that connected one of his ankles to the wall.

He had only been there for half a day but already felt as if his life was over. Once he arrived, he was stripped, washed by a short-lasting spray of ice cold water, put into some white ragged clothes with a number and then chained to the wall in a barred cell. There was next to nothing inside; a small table, a very thin mattress stuffed with some hay and a hole in the floor meant for him to do his... business in.

Even Seijuuro’s hunting dogs had it better.

They had left him alone for a few hours, during which Daiki had not been able to think about anything else than how scared he was, his parents and Taiga who was going to be taken by Seijuuro that night. He hadn’t even bothered to stop himself from crying and as time went on he felt nothing but self-hatred for being so stupid, and despair for himself and his lover. He’d thought for a moment that death would be better than to spend his life in that place.

At six o’clock two men had come into the room and stuffed a plastic tube down his throat with which they then forced down food. He did not understand the purpose of it at all as he was in no position to put up resistance to begin with. It had truly been a horrible experience and he suspected then that it would probably not be the last time. In fact, he was pretty sure that everything would be worse the next day.

But he would never find that out.

Taiga was here.

“Daiki!” His love cried out again, so relieved to see him unharmed and had tears of joy streaming down his face. Daiki wanted to answer, but the lower part of his face was hidden behind a black leather muzzle. As requested by Seijuuro earlier when he was taken away. There were a few small holes in it to allow him air for breathing. When Taiga saw it his expression turned into a dark one. And the fury he felt at that moment only intensified when he caught sight of the chains.

As if the iron bars weren’t enough.

When Hanamiya came to a halt behind him, Taiga snapped at him.

“Why is he like this!? Have you no shame!”

The asylum director fought back a scowl of his own, annoyed at the loud youngster and his attitude, and forced himself to smile politely.

“It was ordered by your brother.”

“Tsk, what are you, his dog? Unlock the cell immediately.”

Hanamiya did as told and once the barred door was unlocked Taiga rushed inside. He knelt down in front of Daiki and pulled him into a tight embrace.

“I’m so glad you’re alright,” he murmured lovingly and nuzzled his hair despite the smell. As he did so, Daiki felt his eyes tear up and his self control crumbled. There were no words that could describe the relief and joy he felt in that moment.

He had been so frightened and alone. Terrified beyond measure.  

Taiga’s hands went up to the back of his head and began to fiddle with the clasp of the muzzle.

“Let me get this ridiculous thing off you.”

Once it was off he took Daiki’s face into his hands and looked at him. Then with a big smile he leaned in to shower his face with kisses. Daiki’s eyes fluttered shut at the attention, tears streaming and body trembling. When Taiga’s lips met his, he couldn’t return it fully like he wanted due to the uncontrollable sobs that kept coming out through them. But he cried out of happiness and Taiga new that. While lost in the moment together, Hanamiya undid the chains of his newest patient. Or rather, ex patient it would seem.

To be honest he did not mind as he held very little interest in the boy and could care less what happened to him.

What _did_ interest him, however, was Seijuuro’s situation. If he had indeed been arrested and currently in the police’s custody, then he would have to hurry down there and claim him. He wanted him as his patient, to study him up close. He just had to convince the police of the nobleman’s mental condition.

With his hands free Daiki instantly wrapped them around Taiga and bent down to bury his face in his neck.

“Please tell me I’m not dreaming,” he mumbled with his voice trembling and exhaled a long breath of contentment when Taiga began to stroke a hand through his hair.

“It’s not a dream. I am here, Daiki, and I’m taking you home with me.”

Hanamiya resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the scene. Quite frankly it was making him sick.  Clearing his throat he urged the two lovers to get out of the cell and leave the establishment as soon as possible. He was a busy man, after all.

Taiga and Daiki were both happy to oblige. Of course, so was Harasawa.

After getting Daiki into the clothes he’d worn when he arrived, the three of them wasted no time to reach the exit, get into the carriage and leave Kirisaki Daiichi.

On the way back in the carriage Taiga explained what had happened with Seijuuro and Mayuzumi. Just like he was relieved that Daiki was unharmed, Daiki was relieved that Taiga was as well and that nothing had happened that night.

The late hour, the shock of being released so suddenly and of course meeting Taiga again, had taken its toll on Daiki and he was absolutely exhausted. As the carriage made its way over the vast fields through the night he placed his head on Taiga’s shoulder and soon fell asleep in his arms.

 

* * *

 

When they came back home Taiga proclaimed himself Daiki’s personal nurse. Satsuki had offered to help but the young Akashi had refused, although in a polite way and only asked her for to bring some bandages and disinfectant to his room.

All servants were very relieved and happy to see him.

Once upstairs, Taiga gave him a bath in his own bathroom, dressed him in one of his night shirts, cleaned and disinfected wounds, redid the poorly done bandage around his sprained ankle, fed him some soup and then put him in bed. His bed. For the first time they slept next to each other for a whole night, in each other’s arms. There was of course a desire for love making in both of them, but due to Daiki’s current condition they thought it better to wait. He was drained, exhausted from all the stress and horrid conditions he had endured. So for now they were content with just being together.

They did, however, share a few kisses and talked until they fell asleep.  

The next day Taiga was the first to wake up. In his sleep during the night he had moved a bit and his arms were free, but Daiki’s still remained around him. He studied his sleeping lover for a moment before bending down to place his smiling lips on his forehead. Daiki didn’t even stir; he was sleeping like a log and showed no signs of waking up for quite some time. However, despite this, when Taiga attempted to get off the bed, Daiki’s arms wouldn’t let go. In fact, their grip tightened the more Taiga tried to get away.

“Well this is a bit troublesome,” Taiga muttered quietly under his breath. As much as his lover’s unconscious behavior amused him, he had some things to take care of. Namely, go to the kitchen and make some breakfast for him. Since he was a beginner in the cooking arts, he would need time and preferably have the food ready before Daiki woke up. He wanted to surprise him.

As carefully as he could he took hold of Daiki’s arms and slowly pried them away from his waist, though not completely without resistance. At one point he thought he’d woken him when a displeased groan slipped past his lips, but as he turned to look at him it was clear that Daiki still slept. Though his brows were furrowed into a small frown over his closed eyes.

It took a while but eventually Taiga managed to get free and got out of the bed. He quickly got dressed, making sure to be quiet all the while, and left the room.

Ryou, Mitobe and the rest of the lesser kitchen staff were awake already, though that was to be expected as the time was nearly eight thirty. When they took notice of Taiga they all greeted him and with a smile he returned it.

“You don’t have to wake up so early anymore or make breakfast for me. I’ll eat the same as everyone from now on.”

For once Ryou did not protest. What Taiga said made sense, after all, now that Seijuuro no longer was in charge. It was he who had insisted on such large breakfast meals for him and his younger brother. The rest of the staff present in the kitchen also agreed.

But after a short moment of contemplation, Taiga changed his words.

“Or how about we all eat the breakfast I usually have? I will help you make it in the mornings. It will be good practice.”

After all, the household could afford the vast amount of food for breakfast everyday. And since there was so much of it, why not share it with everyone? Then there was actually a sensible reason for such abundance. No more wasting. And Taiga wanted the servants, most of whom he considered his friends, to be happy and feel appreciated. He wanted to repay them for all the hard work.

It was agreed then that all servants no longer had to get up at their usual time at dawn and that they would share the breakfast table with Taiga at nine o’clock every morning. The young Akashi would be cooking together with the kitchen staff whenever he could. Also, their workload was lessened considerably as there was now only one person to care for, thus fewer rooms and clothes to clean.

After the conversation, Taiga began to make breakfast for his bedridden lover and refused any help that was offered to him.

He made some sandwiches and, after only one failed attempt, a simple omelette spiced with some herbs. For drinking he made lemon tea and poured a glass of orange juice. All of it was put on a tray and it was rather tricky to carry it up the stairs but he managed. 

When he came into the room Daiki was still asleep. It wasn’t too much of a surprise considering everything he had been through.

Taiga walked up to the bed, set the tray down on the side table before seating himself on the edge of the mattress. He placed a hand on one of Daiki’s shoulders and gave it a gentle nudge.

“Daiki, wake up. It’s morning.”

At first there was no response but when the shoving got a little more insistent, he began to stir. With a groan his eyes slowly blinked open and were met by red ones. A nice sight to be greeted with first thing in the morning, indeed.

“Good morning,” Taiga said with a small smile and distanced himself so that Daiki could sit up.

A yawn parted his lips before he returned the greeting under his breath. He rubbed at his tired eyes before stretching his arms high above his head.

“What time is it?”

“Twenty minutes to ten.”

Taiga chose not to tell him about the amusing incident when he tried to leave the bed earlier and had to stop his smile from widening as he thought back to it.

“I made you breakfast,” he said instead and leaned over the side table to pick up the tray. Upon seeing it Daiki’s eyes lit up instantly and there was a faint fluttering in his stomach that was not only caused by hunger. The fact that Taiga had made him food by himself, just for him, made him giddy. With an excited smile that he wasn’t able to hide he scooted back in bed so that his back was against the headboard. The tray was put in his lap and Taiga came closer.

“I’m still a beginner so don’t expect too much. It should be edible though,” the nobleman said, suddenly a bit self-conscious, and looked at the other nervously.

Daiki chuckled.

“I’m sure it’s better than that.”

And he meant it. He was convinced that he would like anything Taiga made for him. And he didn’t care about the simplicity of the meal. The fact that the other made it for him was enough.

However, there was one thing that would make the experience even better.

“Will you feed me? My arms are still sore.”

It wasn’t a lie as his arms did ache a bit from being in chains for so long, but they weren’t so bad that he couldn’t use them properly. Though Taiga didn’t need to know that. When his lover agreed to his request without reluctance, he smiled wider.

Daiki felt as if he was in heaven and had felt so ever since last night when he and Taiga returned to the mansion. Not only was he being taken care of, nursed, by his wonderful, beautiful love, but he was being hand-fed food made by him. He relished in the love and attention. If he had to be unwell, then this was the best way.

And Taiga’s food was delicious; when his red-haired lover fed him he made sure to make that known. He said so just before taking a bite of the offered piece of omelette.

“Really?”

With his mouth still filled with food, Daiki nodded.

“I’m really glad to hear that,” Taiga replied and a light blush tinted his cheeks, eyes beaming. He had wanted this for quite some time, after all. To make food for Daiki and have it praised by him.

It was only a simple meal, but he had succeeded and the next step was to cook a nice dinner. Though for that he would have to study. 

Once Daiki had eaten he laid back down, getting his pillows fluffed and blanket pulled up to his chin by Taiga who told him to rest.

“I need to write a letter and make a few phone calls. I will be back later. Is there anything else you need? Do you hurt anywhere?”

Daiki considered the question for a bit. He was a bit reluctant to the idea of Taiga leaving him, but at the same time he was still rather fatigued and did indeed need some more rest. He was comfortable and didn’t really need anything else...except some more attention.

“Well...actually I do hurt a bit.”

A tinge of worry made itself known on his red-haired lover’s face.

“Where? Your ankle?” Taiga asked and leaned closer.

With a look that he hoped was as innocent as he intended, Daiki shook his head and tapped his left cheek with a finger.

“Here.”

Taiga understood what he was doing and held back a smile. He decided to play along and indulge his love by placing a kiss on his cheek. When he pulled away Daiki then motioned to his lips.

“And here. It hurts a lot.”

Again Taiga obliged and kissed Daiki’s lips. When he deemed himself done and moved to withdraw, Daiki’s hand gently took hold of the back of his neck to keep him in place. He made a pleased sound against Taiga’s lips and closed his eyes in bliss. He wanted to savor this moment for a bit longer and relished in the happiness he felt so strongly.   

They were together again and this time there was no need for any secrecy or planning. No threats that could break them apart and no fear of losing each other. Just the two of them.

When they after a while ended the kiss, Daiki gave Taiga a soft yet tired smile.

“I love you,” he said, a light blush on his face, and gently rubbed his nose against Taiga’s. The noble’s eyes fell closed for a moment and he returned the sweet gesture.

“I love you too,” he said and raised a hand to caress the other’s cheek.

Daiki sighed and leaned into the touch. It felt so nice and was making it difficult to stay awake. For a moment he tried to fight against his heavy eyelids but failed and soon fell asleep once again. Taiga kissed him on the forehead and whispered a soft “I’ll be back soon” before quietly leaving the room.

While his love was asleep, he attended the not-so-pleasant task of informing friends and acquaintances of the family about Seijuuro’s arrest and the current circumstances. He wrote a letter to Tatsuya and Atsushi as they lived farther away and thus more difficult to call. Alex, the Midorima household and Nijimura he did call, however, and there was little difference in their reactions. He hated to be the bearer of such news because he was just as shocked and disappointed as they were. Alex promised to visit the next day and Taiga found it very welcoming. Even though he had the servants and Daiki with him, he felt that he needed her for support. In his letter to Tatsuya he had invited him and his fiance to come as well.

He was happy to be reunited with Daiki and free of his engagement, but he still hurt from Seijuuro’s betrayal and change. His brother had always been an important part of his life and one of the closest, dearest people to him. Not to mention the whole affair of his father’s death.

He could not help but shed a few tears while thinking about it.

A while later the police called. Apparently the investigation concerning Seijuuro would be prolonged until the next day and thus Taiga was told not to come until then. Taiga did not mind; quite honestly he was relieved as he needed more time to collect himself from everything that had happened and did not yet feel quite ready to face his brother. One more day to think and spend time with Daiki was therefore much appreciated.

He decided then to try and occupy himself with some merrier things. Namely, find a recipe to study and cook for tonight’s dinner. Ryou gave him some cookbooks to look through and sat with him as an advisor. There were so many things that Taiga found himself wanting to try, but agreed with the cook that he shouldn’t choose something too complicated.“I am sure Daiki will be happy with whatever you choose to make for him,” Ryou had told him at one point and Wakamatsu who had at the time been in the kitchen, laughed which caused a light blush to color Taiga’s cheeks.

“Well, he did like the breakfast I made even though it was very simple.”

“Of course he did,” Riko piped in as she passed the kitchen and threw him a teasing smile.

Closing the book, Taiga stood up and decided to continue his recipe search in his room. He wanted to be close to Daiki, after all, if he woke up and needed something. With a scoff he gave them all a half-hearted glare.

Though despite all the teasing, Taiga could not bring himself to be annoyed with them. He was far too happy in that moment to care.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, more fluff will come.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally done with this chapter. Sorry for the wait, on top of being sick there has been a lot of university work now that the term is coming to an end. It's my last week so now I might finally be able to focus on my fics for a while.  
> This story is almost done so i'll finish it as soon as I can!
> 
> Warnings! A bit of psycho Seijuuro, but not much else that needs a heads up. 
> 
> As always, thanks for the support and all u who commented and gave kudos!

 

 

The morning light streamed in through the windows and settled on Taiga’s face. It wasn’t nearly as strong as the August sun now when autumn had arrived, but it did manage to wake him up nonetheless. Daiki’s face was buried in his neck and thus not affected by the intrusion. While he remained asleep, Taiga slowly blinked his eyes open and let them settle on the ceiling for a moment. As he did, he fell in thought.

He was seeing Seijuuro today. Three days had passed since his arrest and in a few hours Taiga had to make his way to the Rakuzan state prison. It wasn't something he looked forward to.

He was nervous. Terrified, even.

What if Seijuuro was let free? As much as the thought of his brother living the rest of his life behind bars saddened him, Taiga couldn’t bring himself to hope for anything different. After everything that had happened it was the only option. It was fair -the only right thing- considering what he’d attempted to do to him and Daiki and by being locked up in prison he couldn't hurt them. They would be safe and together. 

If everything went right, they could live a happy life together. There was still much he didn’t know about Daiki and also things he wanted to do with him. 

With a yawn Taiga slowly tried to sit up. The movement caused his lover to stir and soon he found himself met by a pair of sleepy, dark blue eyes.

“Good morning,” he greeted softly and leaned down to kiss Daiki on the forehead.

The greeting was returned by a tired uttering of the same phrase before a wide yawn interrupted any additional speech.

“Give me a proper kiss…” Daiki then muttered and lifted his head expectantly. Taiga fought back a snigger at the seriousness on the other’s face and obliged. Their lips met in a soft kiss that lasted for a few slow seconds.

When they pulled away -though only by a short distance- Taiga smiled amusedly.

“Satisfied?”

A grunt was the only answer he received. He’d noticed now after sleeping together in the same bed for a few nights that Daiki was not a morning person. One would have thought he was used to it by now after all early wakings as a servant.

Instead of sitting up like Taiga, Daiki decided to remain lying down and scooted even closer to him. He nuzzled his lover’s neck and enjoyed his warmth. It was getting colder outside and to him, one of the best things about the autumn and winter seasons was to stay in bed under a warm blanket until noon. Though unfortunately he knew that that was not an option today.

“When are you leaving?” He asked while nosing the skin of Taiga’s neck. Stifling a giggle at the rather ticklish sensation, the nobleman glanced at the bedside clock. The time was nearing nine.

“In about two hours,” he replied with a sigh and lay back down so that he could fully face his lover.

Daiki grunted, slightly displeased, and distanced himself so their eyes could meet. He raised one of his hands and placed it gently on Taiga’s cheek which he then caressed.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” He asked with his expression serious. His ankle was still not fully recovered and even with the crutch, walking was quite a bother. However, for Taiga he would endure and gladly accompany him to Rakuzan.

“No, I want you to stay here and rest. Harasawa is coming with me so I will be fine.”

A part of Daiki wanted to protest as he wasn’t very keen on Taiga and Seijuuro being in the same room together. To him there was no reason for that. However, there was also the part of him that wanted to please Taiga and not be a bother.

Or a jealous prick.

Not that there was any reason to be jealous in the first place since he knew the feelings Taiga held for his brother -especially now- would always be platonic. However, that didn’t mean Seijuuro was the same. Daiki hadn’t forgotten that day in the kennel, the possessive kiss and the little sounds Taiga had made. He didn’t want Seijuuro to _look_ at Taiga because that would definitely stir something in the older Akashi.

And that’s what he didn’t like.

However, he gave way and with a sigh replied.

“If that’s what you want.”

The more he rested the sooner he could recover. Luckily he hadn’t been in Kirisaki Daiichi long enough to be traumatized.

His mind then entered new territory that had nothing to do with the matter they just discussed. It was triggered by the grumbling of his stomach.

“Will you make dinner today too?”

Having not counted on the sudden change of subject, Taiga blinked a few times as he processed what had just been said. Then with a small smile he replied.

“Yes. We are having a party today, remember?”

Daiki nodded.

“Just wanted to make sure.”

Then he sighed wistfully.

“What you made yesterday was delicious.”

After spending many hours reading through cookbooks, Taiga had eventually found a recipe for dinner the day before.

Roasted, honey-glazed ham with potato mash and gravy.

He had studied it and informed Ryou, making sure that they had all the needed ingredients. Taiga had been very clear that he would cook the food himself and that none of the kitchen staff was to help him with the practical elements.

During the time that he cooked, he had the cookbook at his side and Ryou to guide him through it with spoken instructions.

It wasn’t too complicated a dish. The ham just had to be spiced with some herbs and glazed with a layer of honey on the top. While it was in the oven, Taiga had boiled potatoes for the first time. Of course, he was rather nervous during the whole process of making the dish because it was his first time making it and also due to the fact that he’d never cooked for so many people. All servants were to eat his food that evening so it had to be good.

And to his great relief and satisfaction it had been a success. Everyone had liked it and helped themselves to a second serving. Daiki and Kosuke had three.

Daiki liked his cooking. All compliments had made him happy-and a bit embarrassed- but of course his lover’s praise felt a little better than the others’.

“Alex is coming later. Probably while I am away,” Taiga informed the other and stretched his arms above his head. 

The party that they were having that evening was meant for Taiga and the servants, but Alex had been invited as she was very eager to see him. And after everything that had happened she wanted to offer her support and condolences.

Also, just like Daiki she didn’t like the thought of Taiga visiting his brother. She’d made an attempt to convince the young Akashi to take her with him but all in vain.

They lay together for another ten minutes before getting out of bed. Because of his visit that day, it had been agreed that Taiga would not be helping with breakfast. Instead Ryou told him to rest and prepare himself for what would probably be an unpleasant experience.

Taiga counted on that too.

However, he hadn’t expected the news that greeted him when the police called. He was just about to eat some breakfast when Harasawa informed him. He excused himself from the table and went to take the call. Daiki looked after him with a questioning and slightly worried expression as he left.

“What is it about?” He asked Harasawa who sat down at the table. Normally he wouldn’t be worried but the butler looked troubled.

“It is the police. I do not know what they want but it sounded serious.”

“Well of course it’s serious,” Daiki muttered and with a frown stared down at the table. Now he was even more anxious than earlier and he began to imagine some rather unpleasant scenarios.

What if Seijuuro had been released? Perhaps a lawyer had managed to achieve that. Or maybe he had bribed the police. What if he was on his way home at that very moment?

As if reading his thoughts, Harasawa spoke to him.

“I am sure they have not released him. There is no reason for them to as they have seen his behavior first hand. There is also Mayuzumi who is testifying.”

Daiki wanted to believe him. Truly, he did. But he could not shake off the negative thoughts. He knew what power money could have and if Seijuuro had managed to get himself the best lawyer in the country to work for him, then-

“ _Transferred!?”_ Taiga suddenly exclaimed from the room next door, voice raised and hinted with anger. Daiki and the others turned with surprise towards the door that separated them from the young noble.

“You had no right to take such actions without my consent! Or at least without _telling_ me beforehand!”

The conversation continued for a few minutes before Taiga hung up. When he entered the kitchen there was a deep frown marring his face and his hands were clenched hard by his sides. No one said anything, not daring to at the moment, and waited for him to speak up. And after taking a deep breath, he did. When he looked up to face them they could tell he was on the brink of tears.

“Seijuuro has been transferred to Kirisaki Daiichi. The reason the police needed more time for the interrogation was so that they could make an investigation on his mental health. They  suspected him to be... _unwell_  from the moment they arrested him…”

Daiki shivered and for a short moment felt a small tinge of sympathy for Seijuuro. Even though his own stay had been a short one, it had been enough for him to realize what a horrible place it really was. But after everything that had transpired, the way Seijuuro and treated him and Taiga, it was not so unlikely that the older Akashi was insane. In fact, it made sense.

Riko was the first one to respond. She had already stood up and now had her arms around Taiga in a comforting embrace. The young noble welcomed it and hugged her back.

“I’m so sorry, Taiga,” she said truthfully and he nodded.

Oh how he wished that Alex was here now.

"Can they just transfer him like that? Don't they need your consent?" Kouki asked him and had gone stand next to him and the housekeeper.

Taiga shook his head.

"Not at the moment. They said it was urgent and that there was no other option as of now. He is in great need of treatment that prison cannot give him."

"But surely you have the right to decide where he is to be put?"

"Hanamiya was the one who did the investigation, apparently and because he already knows Seijuuro, they thought Kirisaki was the best place. If I want him moved I have to discuss it with a lawyer."

The room was quiet yet again. No one knew what to say; on one hand it was awful and none of them wanted to see Taiga hurt. However, Seijuuro was obviously not sane and being put in an asylum was, unfortunately, the only place for him to go.

“Do you still wish to see him?” Harasawa asked carefully from his seat.

With a sigh Taiga withdrew from Riko and wiped a few tears from his eyes.

“Yes. I have to.”

After having visited Kirisaki Daiichi once and thus seeing how terrible the conditions could be for the patients, he had to make sure his brother was properly taken care of.

 

* * *

 

“How nice to see you again, Taiga-sama. I hope the journey went well,” Hanamiya greeted. He looked very pleased at the moment.

And he was.

Very much so.

Seijuuro had only been his patient for half a day but he could already tell that it would be an interesting and entertaining year ahead. He was so glad that the police had agreed on him performing the investigation, let alone have him transferred to his asylum. God forbid if they had sent him off somewhere else.

Taiga did not bother to return the greeting. He really did not like this man and was not very keen on the idea of him being in charge of his brother’s treatment. But the police and a judge had agreed on Seijuuro’s insanity. All Taiga could do, with some help from a lawyer, was to have Seijuuro moved to another asylum. But even that could be a long and difficult process. There was often little interest in cases where lunatics were involved.

“You must be eager to see your brother. Follow me.”

Taiga asked Harasawa to wait in the lobby. He didn’t want more people than necessary to see Seijuuro in whatever state he was currently in.There were two of Hanamiya's workers accompanying them, walking behind and Taiga found himself thinking that they matched the whole place perfectly. Dull, uninspiring, stale.

They walked down the long corridors one by one and the sounds of the patients were just as disturbing as they were during Taiga’s last visit. He shivered at a particularly sinister-sounding laugh coming from behind one of the walls.

He noticed then that they were in the same corridor where Daiki had been held. He could tell because he caught sight of that strange boy with blonde hair and green eyes who had called him an angel last time.

And when they passed him, he spoke up excitedly.

“Master, he’s coming! The angel!”

Hanamiya ignored him, used to the behavior by now. Taiga could not help but take a quick look at him over his shoulder. And when he did, the boy’s eyes widened further and a light blush crossed his cheeks. But he said nothing more.

Only a few cells down was where Seijuuro had been placed. When Hanamiya came to a halt, Taiga’s anxiety flared and for a moment he didn’t move. He kept his eyes on the floor while mentally preparing himself. Then, after releasing a long breath he raised his head to look into the cell, fearful of what he would see.

The cell did not contain much furniture, although the fact that it was a cell not unlike those found in prisons, was disturbing enough. There was a single bed against the opposite wall, a small table next to it accompanied by a plain wooden chair. It was better than the cell Daiki had been put in but still pretty bad. There were a few leaks in the ceiling from which droplets of water constantly fell. Also, there was a faint smell of mold. 

First Daiki and now Seijuuro.

Taiga had had enough of this degradation.

With a stern face he turned to Hanamiya and made his thoughts known. 

“He is not to be treated like an animal! If you won’t get him a proper room then I will have him transferred to a better place." He didn't care about the lawful complications. He would do anything in his power to have his brother moved should he need to.

Hanamiya nodded.

“Yes, my lord. It shall be arranged. Of course, I had not planned for him to stay in this cell for long. It is only temporary,” the asylum director assured him. However, Taiga could not bring himself to fully trust him. His eyes narrowed further and bore them into the other’s.

“I hope so for your sake.”

Hanamiya was not concerned about the threat. Even if the police was contacted, the chance of them caring was slim. After all, no one cared about lunatics. The dregs of society. They were as good as dead to the sane and normal people, lawmen included. But despite this he nodded just to appease the young noble who really was not as intimidating as he thought himself to be.

Taiga then turned back to the cell. Despite the fact that he and Hanamiya had spoken to each other loud enough for the patients around them to hear, his brother still seemed unaware of his presence. He sat on his bed, back against the wall and blank, lost eyes staring out into space. His arms lay limp at his sides and his mouth was half parted. Unsurprisingly he now wore the white ragged uniform of the asylum and the black thread embroidered into it sported the number 1204.

Hanamiya cleared his throat.

“1204, you have a vis-”

“He has a name,” Taiga interrupted him none too gently. He didn’t wait for a response and approached the cell further.

“Sei?” He tried carefully.

When he received no response he tried again.

“Sei, it’s me. Taiga. I’m here to visit you.”

...

Seijuuro stirred. He blinked a few times and tilted his head.

“Taiga…?” He muttered questioningly and once the uttered name had been processed his eyes widened and he turned towards the bars where he saw his younger brother.

“Taiga!”

Immediately he got off the bed. Or rather, he fell off it in his haste and landed heavily on the floor. But he cared little for the pain it caused and hurriedly crawled on all fours up to the bars. He grabbed them with trembling hands and with their support slowly got up on his feet.

“Taiga...Taiga... _my love_. You came for me.” With a wide, unhinged smile he reached out with one hand through the bars and his fingers brushed Taiga’s cheek. Though he could not fully reach to caress it like he wanted.

“Hello, Sei…” Taiga muttered sadly and tried to smile but found himself unable to. There was an expression of pity on his face as he watched his older brother. He was near unrecognizable. There was a constant crazed glint in those eyes, like a cracked plate, and everything about the way he acted at that moment reminded him of a hopeful child.

“Ahh my beautiful Taiga. So kind. So perfect. The only one for me.”

“....”

“You came to rescue me, didn’t you? To free me from this filthy place. Taiga, I don’t belong in here with these creatures. M-mother said so….didn’t you, mother?” When Seijuuro addressed her he looked over his shoulder as if she was there with him.

“Taiga, say hello to her.”

Taiga indulged him.

“Hello, mommy,” he said softly.

“Mommy... _yes._ That is what you always call her. She says she misses you.”

“I miss her too…”

“Now let me out. We have so much to do. That’s right; the wedding plans, the paperwork, the trip to Seirin. Your training. So, so, _so_ much to do. Ah but I want to make love to you first. Ne, Taiga...come here.” He leaned closer to the bars and puckered his lips, expecting the younger to kiss him. When nothing happened he slowly opened his eyes.

“Did you not hear me? I said come here!” He demanded with his voice raised.

“Sei...calm down.”

“Why are you so far away? Come to me!” The more he spoke the louder he got.

Taiga shook his head.

“No, I will not come to you. I can’t.”

“B-but I am absolute. You _must_ obey me! Y-you are mine now! I own you!”

Almost. Once the marriage documents had been signed by the two of them. But there would not be a wedding and nothing Seijuuro did could change that. Now that he was declared insane he was no longer fit for marriage. This meant that the engagement between him and Taiga was no longer valid.

“No.”

“No?”

Seijuuro grit his teeth, rage filling him up.

“You insolent, ungrateful wretch! I killed father for you!”

_Father_

He suddenly fell to his knees with a loud scream.

“N-no...I’m sorry father! I’m sorry! I was selfish and stubborn! I regret it now s-so please don’t punish me!” He shouted and lifted his arms to protect his face from the imaginary abuse.

“Taiga, tell him to stop!”

Taiga was shocked. At Seijuuro’s sudden outburst he had flinched away from the bars as if burned. With wide eyes he looked at his brother, dumbfounded. What was happening?

Then Seijuuro suddenly stilled, lips trembling as he spoke.

“W-what…give Taiga back? Y-you want me to...N-no. NO! I won’t! You can’t have him! Taiga is MINE! Ahh! Don’t hit me, father! It hurts!”

On his hands and knees he crawled closer towards the empty chair on which he imagined the former Akashi head to sit. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he sobbed, whining like a spoiled child that had just been denied a desired toy.

“Father...I want him. _Only_ him. I want, I want, I want!”

_You will not marry Taiga_

The memory of those words became reality, an illusion that answered his insane rambling.

“BUT I WANT HIM! Please, please, let me have him! _Pleeeease._ *sob* M-mommy...tell him. Make him!”

“...”

Why wasn’t she answering him? Why didn’t she do as he asked? She always gave him what he wanted! He was absolute! She herself had said so! Now she just stood there quietly.

“TELL HIM!” He snapped aggressively when she didn’t say anything, “Tell him to give Taiga to me! You said I could have him! You _promised!_ ”

Still nothing.

“Mommyyyy!!”

_Taiga will never be yours_

And then he rolled onto his back and began to flail his arms around while slamming his head against the floor.

“It’s not FAIR! I am absolute!”

Taiga was horrified. He couldn’t bear to watch anymore, feeling sick in his stomach. Tears began to form in his eyes. This was not Seijuuro at all. Or at least the one he knew.

“Please make him stop!” He managed and covered his mouth with one of his hands to stifle a sob.

Hanamiya shook his head with a sigh that was supposed to be one of disappointment directed at his patient’s behavior, but there was a hint of amusement in it. With Seijuuro as his patient, work would never be boring.

“Now, now, Sei-chan behave yourself. Or do you want me to give you your medicine already?”

Seijuuro did not hear him and continued to scream on the floor.

With a sigh Hanamiya looked at two of his workers that had accompanied him and gave them a nod. Understanding the silent message, they entered the cell and took hold of the wild patient.

“No! Let go of me! Tell them mommy!”

It took some effort, but eventually they managed to hold the struggling patient down. One of the men took out a syringe and upon seeing it, Seijuuro’s eyes widened further. 

Another scream left him when the needle pierced his skin and entered one of his veins. Though it lasted only a minute and soon the two men left the cell to stand back by their superior’s side.

Hanamiya noticed Taiga’s distress and made an attempt to calm him.

“Do not worry, Taiga-sama, it is nothing dangerous. It only makes him more compliant.”

Taiga was reminded of how Seijuuro had said something similar to him on the night when he tried to force himself on him. He knew what it was like to be that helpless.

It was then agreed that Taiga should leave but he was welcome to visit whenever he wanted. And while it pained Taiga to see his brother like this, he felt that he had to leave. He couldn’t bring himself to stay much longer. He needed time to think and get on terms with the new situation. Hopefully, in due time, it would be easier to visit Seijuuro. Though it would certainly take a while to get used to.

“Now say goodbye to your brother properly,” Hanamiya said with a polite smile but he knew exactly how the patient would react and looked forward to see it.

Immediately Seijuuro stilled.

“Eh? Goodbye?”

His eyes darted up to Taiga’s.

“Taiga...are you l-leaving me?”

Taiga couldn’t speak. At that moment he felt so guilty.

“No...NO! NO!”

Stumbling onto his feat Seijuuro ran up to the bars. They rattled loudly as he crashed into them. 

“Taiga! My precious, adorable Taiga! My _darling_! You can’t leave me!”

_Why would he leave him?_

He stilled and a loud exhale left him when another person came to mind.

“You’re going to _him_ aren’t you!? That _rat_! I won’t allow it! You’re MINE!”

The look in his eyes was like that of a wild beast.

But then he swayed as the tranquilizer began to take effect. He fell to his knees and felt his head swim.

“N-no...you can’t leave me,” he muttered weakly and struggled to keep himself conscious. 

“Please help him…” Taiga said with tears in his eyes and turned to Hanamiya who smiled once again.

“Oh believe me I will do my best. I shall give him a proper room as promised. The best one I have is being prepared as we speak and I believe it will be ready by tomorrow.”

Taiga nodded.

“He likes to read the newspaper to a cup of tea in the morning.”

The asylum director took these details to mind and assured the Akashi noble that he would include them in his new patient’s treatment.

“I will come and visit him from time to time, and if I see that you are mistreating him I _will_ have him moved to another place.”

Harasawa upon seeing the young master’s tear stained face when he came into the lobby, he immediately approached in worry.

“Taiga-”

“I am fine. Please, I do not wish to talk at the moment.”

He just wanted to go home.

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's DONE! And finished in less than a year! I don't know what to think of this chapter though; it's a bit rushed and all over the place BUT for the sake of my sanity and well being it will have to do! 
> 
> 1 !! Thank you all so much for sticking with me during the whole process and the lovely support you have given me! 
> 
> 2!! If you want to know more about what happened with Seijuuro I am planning on writing a one-shot or short fic about his life in Kirisaki Daiichi. Also, I am nearly done with another Seijuuro one shot that was supposed to be a part of his flashback chapter but it was too long. It's just him being jealous and getting rid of a "rival". If you want to read those when they come out, bear in mind that they won't be tagged AoKaga so you'll have to find it either by my profile or the Akashi Seijuuro tags. 
> 
> 3!! I might also write a short spinoff about Taiga and Daiki in Touou but we'll see. Right now I should finish my other ongoing fics and then there is a new project I wanna get started on. (2, really, but one is more fun than the other)
> 
> ANYWAY! Thank you so much and this is now officially done!

 

**Two weeks later**

A lot had happened in the past two weeks. Taiga had hosted a party dedicated to the servants. It entailed a three-course meal prepared by himself -and with some help from Alex-, several bottles of fine champagne, dancing and card games. It had been a great success, everyone enjoying themselves and Taiga finally able to show his appreciation with more than just a simple “thank you”. There was still more he wanted to do as he did not think it to enough, but it required some further thinking on his part.

While Daiki had certainly enjoyed the evening and with much vigor eaten the food made by his beloved-which was delicious- he’d been a tad upset about the fact that he wouldn’t be able to dance with Taiga due to his ankle. By that time, it didn’t hurt too much when he walked and he was sure he could at least endure one dance, but Taiga had forbidden him. Albeit a bit reluctantly as he too wished to share a dance with him.

 _“There will be plenty of time for that when you recover,”_ he’d said to comfort them both.

Alex had stayed at manor all this time, offering the much-needed consolation and support Taiga needed after the events with Seijuuro. He needed time to recover and get used to the new situation. After his visit to Kirisaki Daiichi to meet him, Alex had stayed with him in his room for a few hours just holding and talking to him.

During these two weeks Taiga had been under a lot of pressure and stress. He hadn’t counted on ever taking on the role as the head of the family and in his inexperience found it to be a very difficult and tiring job. Seijuuro had been able to cope very well as he’d been prepared and trained for it his whole life, but Taiga had no idea what to do. He had needed time to think in peace so for the past two weeks, he’d given everyone a holiday where they could visit their families and those that didn’t have that, were given a vacation in Kaijou.

Taiga, Alex, Daiki and Kuro were the only ones who stayed, much to Harasawa’s displeasure. But as the new master of the house kept insisting that he too took some time off, he eventually gave in. He would, however, only be gone for a week.

As Taiga spent time in the office trying to sort out the business and family situations through meetings, phone calls and letters, Daiki had visited his parents for a few days. The morning after he was rescued from Kirisaki Daiichi he had written them a letter -as they were too poor to own a telephone- where he told them that he was coming and that he had a lot to tell them. He hadn’t explained much in the letter as he would rather do it in person.

While he was away, Taiga consulted with Alex and Shirogane to help him come to a decision.

And eventually he had.

He decided to sell the mines and the company. He had no desire to continue it no matter how successful it was. He didn’t want to take on Seijuuro’s role and work with something he had no interest in. He had the time and money to pursue the things he liked and things he wanted to do. There was no longer anyone who could prevent him from it.

He was free.

And speaking of money, with the near limitless account of the Akashi family, there was no risk of running short anytime soon. The original wealth added to the many years of success of the company would last for a very long time. And of course, with the profit of selling the mines that were worth a great fortune. In fact, it would mots certainly outlast Taiga's lifetime. 

Taiga had visited the orphanage in Josei as well. He had decided to buy a country mansion nearby that would replace the old building; a big and comfortable home for the children. They were guaranteed to have access to clean clothes, food for every meal every day, medicine, hot baths, soft beds, toys and games for them to enjoy. And of course a big lawn to play on. Additionally, a teacher that was acquainted with Alex would come for a few hours three times a week to educate the children. Reading, writing, geography and mathematics mostly. And Alex had volunteered to teach dancing and piano for those who wanted to learn.  

The orphanage director had been absolutely delighted, albeit a bit hesitant at first to accept such a generous offer. But Taiga had insisted and made it clear that he was not about to take no for an answer from her.

He’d sold the engagement rings as well which he’d found out by Harasawa, who was in charge of writing down the monthly income and spendings, that they were ridiculously expensive. That amount of money could be used for better purposes.

What he still had not figured out was the servants, the hunting dogs and the house. There really was no need for most of it now. Taiga didn’t need servants to care for him and Daiki was not to work for him anymore now that they were lovers. They had yet to discuss their future other than traveling together, but what came after that still remained undecided.

Though Taiga did have some ideas in mind.

During these past two weeks he’d imagined him and Daiki living together with a house of their own in the countryside. A two story house that was neither too big nor too small. There had to be room for visitors and parties, after all. A big lawn, a library, a well-equipped kitchen and a painting room with a view of the fields and forests.

Their own place where they could live happily.

Taiga didn’t mind a simple life, though it would probably take some time to get used to. Of course, he would have to consult with Daiki first before anything was decided.

Nebuya had been fired, Mibuchi resigned but was given a good reference and recommendation from Taiga. The two maids were also dismissed, both with decent references as well to give them a fair chance to a new job.

But the rest of the servants, Taiga didn’t know. In a way he didn’t want to part with them, but at the same time he knew he shouldn’t keep them if he couldn’t provide a job for them. He would simply have to ask when they came back.

So yes, a lot had happened in two weeks.

But out of all that, what had Taiga on edge the most was the situation he currently found himself in. He and Daiki stood waiting in the hall for the arrival of Daiki’s parents. It had been his own suggestion and while he didn’t regret it, he _was_ nervous. Very much so.

What if they didn’t like him? What if they didn’t approve of him and Daiki’s relationship? Maybe they blamed him for everything that had happened to their son.

 _‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have invited them to stay for the whole weekend,’_ he thought to himself as they waited. He had sent a carriage to pick them up in Rakuzan, and much to his displeasure, an extra one for the dogs. He’d forgotten about that; Daiki’s family had three of them. But it couldn’t be helped as there was no one to care for them during their stay at the Akashi manor.

 

_“Daiki”, Taiga said the next morning when he and his lover lay together in bed. They’d woken up a while ago but felt there was no rush to get up. Instead they decided to stay for a bit, holding each other. They were both very content after making love the night before, the first time since Daiki’s return from Kirisaki Daiichi._

_When Daiki hummed in question Taiga saw it as his cue to continue, “about your parents. I thought that we’d invite them over this upcoming weekend.”_

_“You sure?” Daiki asked and lifted his head from Taiga’s shoulder to look at him._

_Taiga nodded. While he was determined, his face also sported a troubled look. And for good reason._

_“Yes. I think it’s about time I met them now when we’re…official. And I also feel that I must apologize to them. I am partly to blame for everything that happened to you. Not to mention apologize on Seijuuro’s behalf.”_

_He was ashamed of how his brother had acted and now when he was the new head of the family it was his job to represent it and take responsibility._

_“Taiga, none of it was your fault. You didn’t know what he would do.” As Daiki said this, his eyes lowered to the faint bite mark that still remained on Taiga's neck. It would fade in time, but not the burn mark from Seijuuro's ring. He caressed it soothingly with his fingers.  
_

_“But I knew there would be punishment if he found out. And if I hadn’t encouraged you then-“_

_Taiga was silenced by Daiki kissing him. It was brief and when his lover pulled away there was a serious expression on his face, bordering to angry._

_“Don’t you dare. Saying that is like saying you regret being together.”_

_“That’s not what I -“_

_“We fell in love. There is nothing wrong in that. My parents will understand.”_

_He kissed him again. This time longer but no less soft. And it didn’t take long before Taiga began to return it._

 

It had seemed like such a good idea at the time, but now there was a hard lump in Taiga’s stomach.

Well, at least they could not be worse than Seijuuro.

Or so he hoped, at least.

Daiki was their only child so of course they had to be protective of him.

“Hey, calm down,” Daiki soothed, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice, and put one arm around Taiga’s shoulders. He pulled him close and nuzzled into his hair. It was then that he noticed that Taiga was trembling.

“They’ll like you, don’t worry.”

“But what if they don’t? Weren’t they upset when you told them about what happened to you?”

“Of course they were. But they know it wasn’t your fault. I explained the circumstances and my mom is very eager to meet you.”

Taiga wanted to believe him. He really did. But there was no guarantee that Mr and Mrs Aomine didn’t hold any reluctance towards him.

He was just about to say so when the sound of a carriage against the graveled entrance road was heard through the door.

They were here.

Daiki pulled Taiga along and opened the door to step outside.

As soon as the first carriage came to a halt, a woman eagerly stepped outside. She rushed up the steps of the entrance and pulled Daiki into her arms.

“It’s so good so see you again, sweetie!”

Daiki rolled his eyes but could not help but smile.

“We saw each other last week, mom.”

“A mother is always happy to see her child,” she replied and distanced herself to give her son a tap on the nose with one of her fingers, along with a playful smile.

He rolled his eyes.

“I know.”

“And this,” she began when her eyes settled on the man standing behind him, “must be Taiga.”

“Yes!” Taiga replied, a bit startled but thankfully his voice did not crack, “n-nice to meet you, Aomine-san!”

He offered her a short bow before holding out his hand. Without hesitation she took it into hers and shook it. Her dark blue eyes that were so similar to Daiki’s studied him for a moment, taking in his features.

“Just Mika is fine. My, you are quite handsome, I must say. And you seem very sweet. To think that my son had such fine taste.”

Taiga blushed at the comment, but appreciated it nonetheless. Beside him Daiki felt his mouth twitch into a smug smile.

“Damn right I do.”

“Thank you. Y-you are very beautiful too, Aomine-sa ehm I mean, Mika.”

She was beautiful. Though in a natural and subtle way. Her dark hair was tied up in a low ponytail in the back and long strands framed her face on each side in the front. Her skin was on the paler side and her overall stature was rather short.

Her smile widened, finding Taiga’s shy and genuine manner quite charming.

“What a magnificent house this is. I knew it would be, of course, but to see it for myself this close is another thing all together.”

Before he could reply, his eyes left hers when he saw Daiki’s father approach. A lump formed in his throat that he desperately tried to swallow down. The man looked serious. He was about as tall as Daiki, his narrow eyes brown and short hair dark blue. Taiga had already known what he looked like since he’d seen the photograph in Daiki’s locket, but it was definitely not the same as meeting him in person.

“Good afternoon. It is nice to finally meet you, sir. I’m Taiga Akashi…but you know that already of course.”

He offered his hand and met the dark eyes that seemed to be studying him. Taiga searched for any hints of disapproval but found nothing. He couldn’t read them at all.

“Indeed, I do. And likewise, nice to meet you. I’m Jirou. My last name you already know,” there was an almost playful hint in his voice, indicating that he returned Taiga’s phrase of the name awareness. Taiga wasn’t sure if he should be embarrassed or relieved.  

“I have heard quite a lot about you,” Jirou said to finish the greeting.

As soon as their hands let go of each other Taiga could not hold it in anymore.

“I am so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused!” He apologized a bit too loud and bowed low, surprising all of them. They stared at him with eyes wide for a moment before their expressions softened.

Mika placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and with a reassuring smile spoke.

“Let’s talk inside, ne? It is a bit chilly out here.”

“Y-yes!”

 

* * *

 

 

Taiga was still trembling when he poured the tea he’d made into four cups. They were all seated in the parlor, Daiki’s parents on one sofa while Taiga and Daiki sat on the one opposite them.

“I hope the tea is to your taste. I made it myself and I’ve only just recently learned how to use the kitchen,” he said with a faint blush and after pouring the tea handed the cups to his guests.

“Oh I’m sure it tastes good. You’ve learned to use the kitchen you say, does that mean you have no servants left?” Mika asked curiously.

“Ah I do but they’re not here at the moment. I gave them some time off. A friend of the family is staying here so you will probably meet her later.”

“I see,” Mika replied, curious, “so you are interested in cooking?”

“Yes, I enjoy it very much.”

Daiki decided to comment, “and he’s damn good at it too,” to which Taiga of course blushed. Though in his embarrassment he still smiled as the praise made him happy. He tried to hide it by looking to the side but both Mika and Jirou noticed and shared an amused glance.

“Then perhaps we could cook together during our stay, you and me. I could teach you some things.”

At the suggestion Taiga instantly brightened.

“I would like that very much.”

They engaged in a light-hearted conversation, enjoying their tea and some biscuits.

“So what are your plans now?”

Daiki put one of his arms around Taiga’s shoulders and leaned into him before answering her.

“We’re going to Touou for a while, just traveling around and see the country. We’ll be gone for about a month or so. Then we don’t know...though I know Taiga have some ideas in mind about getting our own place.”

“Oh? Touou you say? That’s wonderful.”

Daiki’s father nodded in agreement. As he came from there originally he very much liked the idea of his son discovering his roots. Now that he had the means to travel it was a great opportunity.

“If you want, I can give you some advice on places that are worth visiting. And of course, tell you a little about the culture and customs. I wouldn’t want you to appear disrespectful due to ignorance.”

Before Daiki could utter some snarky remark Taiga quickly intervened.

“That would be very much appreciated.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Taiga added, eyes hopeful as he spoke, “so you approve of us? Me and Daiki.”

“As long as our son is happy we have no objections whatsoever. And from what he has told us, you seem to be making him _very_ happy,” Mika replied to which Jirou nodded.

“And from what we have seen and heard so far you seem to be a very gentle and competent person. What happened to Daiki was not your fault, though the two of you have been quite reckless I must admit.”

Daiki opened his mouth to retort, a frown on his face, but was beaten to it by his father.

“However, you do not always choose who you fall in love with. As we know, love can make one do foolish things. The two of you have our full support and blessing.”

It was as if a weight had been lifted from Taiga’s shoulders. Daiki’s parents approved of their relationship and seemed to like him. They didn’t show any signs of holding a grudge against him for the asylum incident either, which to Taiga was a great relief.

Then an idea hit him that he was eager to suggest.

“Perhaps the two of you would like to stay here while we’re gone. Together with the others. And my friend Alex has offered to keep an eye on things as well. There is plenty of room for you and the dogs. I still haven’t thought about what to do from here but after all this I need to get away for a little while. I’ll decide what to do when me and Daiki get back.”

Mika seemed very keen on the idea.

“Oh we would love to stay-”

“But I have a shop to look after. It is our only income.”

“But if you were to stay here money would not be an issue. Everything will be provided for you. And I only suggest that you stay during our Touou visit.”

Daiki’s father was a proud man. He liked to earn his money, not having it handed to him on a silver platter. And he hated to be in debt to someone. Of course, he knew that Taiga would not expect anything from him in return but at the same time, he did not want to be too dependent on other people. He was about to decline for a second time when his wife cut him off.

“Darling, the store can wait. I think it would be lovely with some time off. Did you see the garden on our way in? I would love to stroll in it before it gets too cold and the flowers wither.”

If she was determined to stay then there wasn’t much he could do. So with a reluctant sigh, although not without a small smile, he gave in.

“If that is what you want, love.”

Taiga did by means want to get in the way of his business, however, and was hit by another thought.

“If you’d like, a carriage could be arranged to drive you Rakuzan in the mornings and back here in the evenings. I wouldn’t want to impose on your work at all. And if you would rather stay there I won’t try to persuade you otherwise.”

Jirou was delighted that his son had fallen in love with such a polite and reasonable person. He already had high thoughts of him, but he felt that he would grow even more fond of him in time when they knew each other better.

“That would be much appreciated. Though perhaps not every day. I could spend a few days a week in the shop and you, my love,” he said while turning to face his wife, “can stay here together with the dogs. They would be happy to have a place to run around.”

Without any protest she agreed. In her mind, she needed a well deserved vacation from the tough life in Rakuzan.

 

* * *

 

“Mom likes you very much,” Daiki said as he kissed his way up Taiga’s chest. When he peeked his tongue out to tease one of the perky nipples below, Taiga’s thighs tightened around him along with a drawn out moan.

“I’m glad to hear that,” the noble replied a bit out of breath.

The two of them had spent the whole weekend with Daiki’s parents. They’d all gone out for walks and picnics when the weather allowed it, played cards and having tea while conversing together. Much to Taiga’s delight and relief he got along well with both of them. Daiki’s father was a bit difficult to start a conversation with at times, but he was kind and polite towards him. Taiga had suggested him to go for a hunt together with Kagetora and Harasawa, as he knew the man held interest in the activity but rarely had the opportunity. Mr Aomine was very happy to accept the offer and expressed his gratitude. As they had begun to know each other a bit better the awkwardness was slowly beginning to dim down.

Taiga had bonded very well with Mika and together with Alex, they had spent the evenings in the kitchen making dinner. He had learned quite a few useful tricks from her. And speaking of Alex, she too found herself finding a new friend in their guest.

Kuro was getting along with the Aomine family’s dogs as well. He was happy to have some playmates, it seemed, and Taiga was relieved for his sake. It was a good distraction from Seijuuro’s absence. Perhaps they would be willing to adopt him.

Licking his way up Taiga’s neck, Daiki continued.

“She’s told me several times how adorable she thinks you are.”

She had told Taiga so too. And more than once brought up the subject of marriage.

“Y-yes but can we perhaps not talk about this now?”

“Impatient?” Daiki teased between kisses against an increasing pulse point.

Instead of giving a verbal answer, Taiga responded by spreading his legs wider and bucked his hips. Much to his dismay, however, Daiki distanced himself instead of returning the gesture.

“No, love, not like that,” he murmured and took hold of his legs, lowering them to lie flat against the mattress. He made himself fully seated on top his now confused lover and straddled his hips. And in this new position, Taiga could see all of Daiki’s naked body.

“You will do it tonight. I think it's about time.”

Not having counted on such a suggestion, Taiga tore his distracted eyes away from the other’ lower regions and lifted to his face with a surprised look.

“What? Now?”

“Yes, that’s what I said.”

“But I’m not mentally prepared! You should have told me before.”

Daiki quirked an amused brow and chuckled.

“Mentally prepared?”

“Well yes...you know I’ve never-” he trailed off when Daiki leaned down and placed a gentle hand against his cheek.

“And _you_ know I’ll help you through it. We talked about this.”

“I know, but what if…”

_What if I’m not good enough._

He didn’t need to say it because his lover understood what his worries were.

“We’ll take our time. I’ll tell you what to do, step by step. I know you will be wonderful.” He finished his words of encouragement with a soft kiss to his lips.

By then the battle was lost, Taiga knew it. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do it, but he would rather have some time beforehand to prepare himself.

But he trusted Daiki and just like he said, there was no reason to rush. They had all night.

Daiki slowly began to grind against Taiga’s groin and it didn’t take long until he felt him harden against his naked rear.

Taiga took hold of his hips and slowly began to move on his own, matching his lover’s pace with the soft thrusting of his hips.

“Yes, just like that,” Daiki murmured and felt his eyes flutter closed. This confirmation in turn spurred Taiga on. His insecurities and uncertainty slowly morphed into an eager desire for more and when he experimentally bucked his hips a bit harder, it only grew stronger as Daiki released a shaky yet pleased groan.

He’d wanted this for a while after all; to return the pleasure Daiki had given him so many times. To have a relationship with him in which they could give themselves to each other on equal terms and share the different kinds of pleasure.

That night they engaged in soft, tender lovemaking that lasted for a long time. Through every kiss, touch and the joining of their bodies they conveyed all their love and feelings for each other with much passion.

 

* * *

 

When the last of their baggage had been secured on the carriage it was time to leave. For a whole month they were to enjoy and discover Touou to their hearts’ content. Together.

Taiga was very excited. 

Touou was a place that he’d always wanted to visit and now when he could, he would do so with a person that he loved. An exciting and romantic journey. A bit cliche, perhaps, but that was exactly what he had wanted. Something new and different from what he knew. A change.

Daiki’s parents, Alex and a few of the servants that had come back from their vacation stood by the stairs to the entrance. They were all happy for them, albeit a bit sad to see them leave, and a few of them looked closed to tears. At least Alex, Mika and Satsuki. Kosuke had at one point made a remark about how nice it would be not having to see Daiki for a while, but everyone knew that he did not mean it.

“Now promise to be careful and _do not_ forget to write! I shall be very upset if you do,” Alex scolded while pulling Taiga in for a tight embrace of goodbye. He rolled his eyes; ever since yesterday she’d been saying that very same thing over and over. Frankly he was getting tired of it.

“I won’t forget and I _will_ be careful. I’ve told you this many times now.”

“I am just making sure.”

Mika was currently giving the same speech to Daiki on the other side of the stairs. And Jirou, of course, gave him a last lecture about Touou customs and laws.

“Now make sure to enjoy yourselves. But make sure to stick close to each other at all times; the Touou markets are vast. Oh, and when you are on the boat you shouldn’t stand too close to the railing-”

“I know, mom! Jeez.”

“Daiki, don’t yell at your mother,” his father said sternly.

It took five more minutes before they were satisfied and ready to let the youngsters go. Daiki took hold of Taiga’s hand and quickly dragged him along towards the carriage before anyone could come up with yet another thing to keep them from leaving.

“Finally free from all the nagging,” he muttered and with a long sigh leaned back in the plush seat. His parents’ worrying had left him exhausted. Hopefully he could get some sleep on the way to the harbor.

Taiga smiled at him and nodded in agreement.

“You won’t hear it for a while. And I’m happy to be free of it too.”

He leaned his head against Daiki’s shoulder with a satisfied sigh.

“Now all we can do is look forward to the trip and spend time together without any complications.”

“Oh, I’m looking forward to it alright,” Daiki purred and nuzzled the other’s red hair.

The carriage began to move. It exited through the iron gate and after waving goodbye to everyone, they turned back and looked at each other with smiles of equal excitement and content. Red and blue stayed on each other before they closed the gap between them with a long, sweet kiss.

Their fingers intertwined while their hands rested on the free space between them on the seat.

Taiga squeezed a little harder and when he pulled away spoke up.

“I love you.”

Daiki smiled and returned the gesture. He was so happy that he didn’t know what to do with himself. A few months ago, from the first moment he laid eyes on his beautiful lover, he never would have thought that things would end up as they had. Sometimes he still found himself hesitant to believe that it was real, that it was just a dream. It felt as if it was almost too good to be true.

He knew it wasn’t, but if by any small chance it _was_ indeed a dream, he never wanted to wake up.

Taiga was there with him.

Undoubtedly and utterly _touchable._

 

**Author's Note:**

> *Governess - a female teacher hired to teach children in private households  
> *Footman - A male servant who waits tables, brings and serves the food in a household  
> *Chambermaid - A female servant who cleans bedrooms and bathrooms  
> *Parlor- Kind of like a living room. A room for socializing and contains many comfortable seats. (Search images on google)


End file.
